Anguish
by Indigo Rise
Summary: Lucy is heartbroken, and decides to take a mission to clear her head. What happens when Lucy becomes reckless, and takes 'getting stronger' too literally? Rated T for future violence. Originally a one-shot turned short story. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Part I

**Part I**

Lucy had just entered the guild when her heart just… shattered. She had been trying really, really hard since Lisanna had returned. Really, she had. But in that moment, her heart got the best of her and she had finally had enough.

Natsu and Lisanna were in what looked like an affectionate embrace. The guild instantly erupted with gasps and whispers.

"Are they…?"

"Oh my Mavis!"

"But what about Lu-"

Lucy stumbled forward, not able to comprehend what she was seeing. In that moment, her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest. The past couple of months had chipped away at her. Each time he threw an arm around her shoulder or gave her that grin, a little piece had broken off. Finally the last straw had just crushed her fragile heart into a thousand pieces, damaged beyond repair.

Her mind was screaming at her to run home, to get as far away from the guild as possible. Slowly but steadily, she backed away until she hit the wall. Stumbling a bit, she righted herself before meeting the eyes of her guild mates in front of her.

Gray just stared, pity clearly circling in his orbs. Erza had turned away, though her murderous aura could be felt by those around her nervously edging away to safety. Levy was clearly upset for her friend. Her eyes had welled up, tears threatening to spill down onto her cheeks. As Lucy continued to gaze at the people before her, her eyes finally settled on Natsu and Lisanna. The latter was clearly flushed and somewhat embarrassed, as she fiddled with her fingers and shuffled her feet, refusing to make eye contact. Natsu just stood in a stupor, his eyes unfocused as he stared ahead of him.

Snapping out of her daze, Lucy staggered towards the door before pushing it open and running out of the guild.

"Now you've gone and done it," Gray began, walking over to Natsu who had just recovered from his confusion. "You do realize this is your fault, right?"

"What are you talking about, Ice Princess?" Natsu spat, unsure of why he had become the focus of everyone's stares. Gray just sighed and turned away, leaving Natsu to deal with Erza's murderous glare pointed in his direction.

* * *

><p>Lucy had all but sprinted home after leaving the guild. She could feel the hot tears stinging her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment. <em>'Stupid Natsu. Stupid, stupid, stupid!'<em> Still completely wrapped up in her thoughts, Lucy fumbled for her key, inserting it into the door and letting herself into her apartment building. She trudged up the stairs before unlocking a second door, letting herself into her room. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it unsure of what to do.

That's when her fragile state of mind started to crack, before shattering completely. An overflow of emotion swept her body, easily overwhelming her. Lucy brought her hands up to her face, while slowly sliding down to meet the floor. She let out a choked sob before she could stop herself, losing what little control she had over herself. The tears stinging in her eyes finally overflowed, sliding down her cheeks and chin.

Not being able to hold it back any longer, Lucy wept. Sobs wracked the entirety of her body. Her knuckles had turned white, gripping onto herself like her life depended on it. She brought her knees up to her chest, burying her head in her arms continuing to cry for what felt like hours. _'Why? I thought that maybe he…'_ her thoughts trailed off as she squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to let fresh tears escape. _'No… you knew this would happen Lucy. You know how Lisanna felt…_'

Before any more painful thoughts could surface, a golden light manifested beside Lucy. Unlike his usual self, Loke sported a frown, concerned about his master's well-being. Gently, he crouched down to meet her height before hesitantly speaking up.

"…Princess? Are you alright?"

Clearly startled, Lucy jumped before whipping her head up to look at Loke. "Geez, Loke you scared the hell out of me!" She whined, quickly wiping at her eyes with her arm. "What are you doing here? Do you need anything?"

Loke sighed before answering. "Drop the act Lucy. What's going on? And don't try to deny anything because I know you're upset. We can all feel it you know, you are our master," He lectured, reaching out to place his hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Lucy just looked at him, before slowly sliding her knees back to the ground and dropping her hands into her lap. It was rare that he ever addressed her by her first name. She knew that he was serious, and that this would be a difficult conversation. "First off, stop with the master thing! You know more than anyone I don't like to think of myself that way," Loke grinned at her as she continued to speak. "And second, it really is nothing, Loke. I… I-I saw it coming anyway, it's stupid really…" She trailed off, lost in thought once again.

The grin quickly fell off of his face as his features became more serious. He sent a pointed look at her, letting her know that he was not buying it at all. "Come on Lucy, it's me. You can tell me," he told her softly, though he had his suspicions that this was all brought on by a certain pink-haired idiot.

She looked down to her hands, fidgeting with her fingers until she had the nerve to speak up again. "Have you ever had to watch someone you love… love somebody else?" Her voice faltered, and fresh tears began to brim in her eyes.

Anger flashed across his face before turning his attention back to Lucy. "What's he done Lucy?" He asked, instantly confirming his suspicions. Lucy shifted to look him in the eyes before speaking again.

"Am I not good enough? What does she have that I don't? I thought he… I'm such an id- oomph!" She was roughly cut off when Loke gathered her up in a hug. Rubbing comforting circles on her back, he spoke up.

"Stop Lucy. You know damn well how good you are, and anyone would be lucky to be with you. That hot-headed moron wouldn't know good if it hit him over the back of the head. Don't you dare doubt yourself!"

Lucy couldn't hold back her tears as she let out a muffled cry, gripping onto Loke's shirt as she processed what he said. He continued to rub her back and comfort her, until both of them were disturbed by another golden light appearing in front of them. As quickly as it came it flickered away, leaving Virgo in its wake. She gave them a sad smile, before coming to kneel beside Lucy.

"Princess, everything will be okay," Virgo reassured, before occupying Lucy's other shoulder with her hand. All of a sudden golden light shrouded the room before slowly dissipating, revealing all of Lucy's zodiac spirits who had yet to show up.

"Everyone…" Lucy whispered, untangling herself from Loke's embrace. Sniffling, she wiped her eyes yet again before addressing her spirits. "You really didn't have to co-"

"Piri piri!" Gemi and Mini cried, effectively cutting Lucy off yet again. They hovered over and snuggled into both sides of Lucy's neck, tiny arms doing their best to comfort her. Lucy brought her hands up to pat both of them on the head, before gathering them up into her arms and nuzzling their cheeks. "Piri!" They both shrilled, happy with their master's reciprocation.

"Thanks you two…" Her voice cracked, for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

"Well?" Aquarius asked, eyebrow raised in annoyance. Lucy was completely lost, clearly evident in her confused eyes. Aquarius huffed before continuing. "What's got your panties in a twist Blondie? I didn't come out here for nothing you know," she muttered. Lucy detected the hint of concern behind her harsh words and let out an airy giggle. Her facial features, however, morphed into a frown once she remembered what had gotten her so worked up. Yet before she could speak up, Loke had already began to explain what had happened to the rest of her spirits.

"A certain idiot dragon slayer, that's what. He broke Lucy's heart!" He growled. In an instant, various emotion spread among the group of spirits.

Aries gasped immediately and brought her hands up to cover her mouth. "I-I'm very sorry Lucy!" Gemi and Mini just hugged her tighter. Aquarius's features slightly softened, before she turned away muttering nonsensical remarks about 'that idiot pyro' and how she would drown him the next time she saw him. Capricorn remained stoic as usual, but let out a small sigh under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. Taurus wasn't making perverted comments, Scorpio wasn't smiling like usual, and Virgo was just staring at the floor. Cancer snapped his scissors and Sagittarius fiddled with his bow, both showing their frustration.

Lucy just shut her eyes. She was embarrassed and ashamed of herself, and didn't want her spirits to see her in the state she was in. She felt the familiar feeling of tears streaming down her cheeks, clamping her eyes tighter to prevent any more from escaping.

Each of the spirits glanced at each other, clearly establishing that they were all feeling the same thing. Anger. However, they knew that the best thing for their master right now was to take care of her and not take action. Nevertheless, their anger would not dissipate any time soon.

Loke pulled out a handkerchief and lifted Lucy's chin with his index finger. Their eyes locked for a moment, before Loke dabbed at her cheeks, wiping away the tears that had fallen.

"I-I'm sorry everyone. I know I'm not in the best state right now…"

"Don't apologize, my lady!" Sagittarius proclaimed, saluting her in the process. "You've done nothing wrong Lucy," Scorpio added.

"Lucy, how about something that will cheer you up?" Loke offered, a small smile present on his face.

Lucy twisted to face him, confusion and curiosity swimming in her orbs. "What do you have in mind?"

"How about a job? A solo job. You're always talking about how you want to get stronger, aren't you?" Lucy nodded, and Loke continued. "Well then is perfect! It gives you time to get away from Magnolia for a bit, as well as good training!"

Lucy smiled. "That actually sounds… really good! Loke, it's a great idea," she grinned. All of her spirits looked down at their master fondly, until Lucy spoke up again.

"Thanks you guys, I really appreciate you coming here. You guys mean the world to me," Lucy beamed up at them all. "I think it's time you go back to the Celestial world, for the time being anyway. I'm alright now," she stated, looking a lot more confident than she did minutes ago.

"Of course, Lady Lucy. We're just glad you're okay. If there's anything you need don't hesitate to ask," Capricorn bowed, before disappearing in a burst of golden light. Gemi and Mini gave Lucy one last squeeze, before waving and returning as well.

_"Good day, my lady!"_

_"Stay wicked!"_

_"I await your punishment, Princess!"_

Multiple goodbyes were said before the golden light took them home. However, two spirits remained. Lucy looked up at them both, confusion written in her features. "Loke? Aquarius? Why are you still here?"

Both of them looked at each other and nodded, before Aquarius spoke. "Look brat, we know you don't want to be alone when you go and get that job request from the guild. We're coming with you." Lucy's eyes widened before welling up with yet again, more tears. Stumbling to stand up, she launched herself at the two spirits in front of her, catching them in an embrace. Loke instantly reciprocated. Aquarius rolled her eyes, before awkwardly patting her on the back.

"Come on Blondie. We have a job to do," Aquarius released her, folding her arms with a stern look in her eyes.

Lucy looked back at her, determined. "Right!"


	2. Part II

**Part II**

Levy stared down at the book in her hands, unable to focus on what she was reading. She had read the same sentence about 15 times in a row now. Eventually she gave up all together, slamming the book shut before placing it down on the table in front of her.

She could feel Gajeel's eyes on her as she let out a sigh, her thoughts drifting once again to her best friend. She felt so horrible about what had happened earlier that day, wishing she could make it better. Levy was well aware of her friend's feelings towards Natsu, she had confided in her a few months ago, confirming her pre-establish suspicions. She knew that Lu needed her space for a while, though it didn't do anything to lessen her worry.

Suddenly the doors of the guild slammed open, drawing the attention of everyone in hall. Eyes widened significantly when they realized who had entered.

Lucy looked considerably different to what she did just mere hours earlier. A tight low-neck white t-shirt hugged her figure, paired with skinny jeans and black combat boots. Her hair had been pulled back into a braid, trailing down her back. Accompanying either side of her stood none other than Loke and Aquarius, her two strongest spirits.

Her face was blank as she took her first steps into the hall, stopping to scan the crowd of Fairy Tail members in front of her. Not pinpointing the familiar salmon mane of hair she had grown so accustomed to seeing, she continued on her way with Loke and Aquarius following at either side of her.

She could feel the stares of everyone burning into the back of her head. Slowly she made her way through the crowd, parting their way for her under the glares of the spirits trailing behind her. Aquarius stopped, however, when she saw a certain white-haired takeover mage in the crowd. Straying from the path in front of her, she pushed her way through the crowd until she came face to face with the person she was looking for. Lisanna visibly cowered under her gaze, unable to meet her eyes. Aquarius gave her a once over, before sneering and turning her nose. Turning back 180 degrees, she continued back on the path through the sea of people to return to Lucy's side.

Meanwhile, Lucy was at the request board with Loke struggling to pick a job. "I-I don't know Loke," she murmured under her breath. "I've never been on a solo job before…"

Loke put a comforting hand on her shoulder, before his eyes were drawn to a request at the bottom of the board. "How about this one, Princess?" She followed his line of sight until they fell on the request.

**CAPABLE TEAM OF MAGES WANTED**

_VULCAN PACK WREAKING HAVOC ON OUR VILLAGE!  
>A SKILLED TEAM OF MAGES IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO<br>DRIVE THEM AWAY FROM CAUSING MORE TROUBLE._

**WHERE  
><strong>_EASTERN BASE OF MT HAKOBE_

**REWARD  
><strong>_60 000 JEWEL  
>1 GATE KEY<em>**  
><strong>

The reward certainly sparked Lucy's interest. Her face fell, however, when she re-read the request. "Loke, it's asking for a team. Master would never let me take on this mission on my own," she sighed. He squeezed her shoulder lightly before speaking again.

"Lucy, we're your team. We can handle this job, no sweat! And besides, I know you want the gate key," She nodded eagerly as he continued. "Well let's go ask Master, I'm sure he'll be fine with it!"

Aquarius appeared back beside Lucy and tugged at the request, before handing it to her. "Come on Blondie, lead the way," she grunted, giving her a slight push. Lucy only nodded, turning around and making her way to the Master's office on the second floor.

* * *

><p>Makarov was unsure of why the guild was so unusually quiet, until a knock came at his door.<p>

"Master? May I come in?"

He sighed, figuring she was the answer to his query. He was aware of what had happened this morning. Mirajane had filled him in, though he was shocked that one of his favourite brats – dare he admit it – had feelings for the moron. "Please do my child."

Lucy opened the door, holding it open for her two spirits before gently closing it and sitting in the seat opposite her Master.

"Why Loke, I haven't seen you in a long while," He exclaimed, startled to see her two spirits accompanying her. She never had her spirits with her unless it was a battle, so it was a little surprising seeing two of them with her in his office. "What can I do for you, Lucy?"

Lucy smiled, before taking a deep breath. "Could I take this job request Master? I know it says it's a team job but I have my team of spirits! I think I can handle it and not to mention the reward is a gate key which is perfect fo-"

"Of course Lucy," He smiled fondly, cutting off her rambling. He knew she needed some time away from the guild to clear her head, and he was more than happy to comply. "That will be fine. Please let Mirajane know before you leave. Good luck, my child!"

Lucy let out a breath of relief. "Thank you, Master. I'll be back in a week!" She bowed her head, before pivoting to walk out the door.

"Please, keep her safe," he spoke softly to the spirits in front of him. Loke and Aquarius nodded their acknowledgement, before following Lucy out of the office.

As the door shut, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. He knew Lucy was in safe hands, but he couldn't quite quell the growing concern that was brewing in his gut.

* * *

><p>As soon as Lucy began to descend down the stairs from the second floor, the whispers ceased. Silence swept through the guild once again, and eyes returned to the blonde mage meandering her way back to the bar.<p>

"Mira, I'm taking this job," Lucy began quietly. "I'll be gone for a week."

"O-okay!" Mira said a little too quickly, not even looking at the request that was laid out in front of her. "Good luck Lucy. Take care of yourself!"

Acknowledging her reply with a nod, Lucy turned and led her spirits to the guild's entrance.

"Luce! Where are you going?"

Lucy immediately stopped in her tracks, before whipping her head around to face the source of the familiar voice. _'He must have come in while I was upstairs,'_ she thought bitterly. Loke and Aquarius turned around to face him too, both moving in front of her in case he tried anything. She stepped past her spirits, who both looked at her in surprise. Her usually soft and gentle facial features had morphed into a glare that rivaled Erza's. With as much courage she could muster, she spoke up.

"…Leave me alone," she muttered bitterly, turning and running out the door before her tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.

The guild fell deathly silent. Many of the guild members had recoiled in shock, most of them never having seen Lucy in that state.

"Wait, Luce!" Natsu yelled, running towards the door. Before he could get anywhere, however, he received a smack over the head with an urn, and a golden punch to his jaw, sending him crashing into the bar.

"Don't you dare," Loke spat venomously. Natsu just held his head, looking at them both speechless. "Don't you dare come near her!" He shouted, before storming off after Lucy. Natsu looked completely dumbfounded as he turned his head to look at a very pissed-off Aquarius.

"Tch," she muttered under her breath. Glaring at the boy in front of her, she snarled. "Just don't come near her, got it? If I see you near her again I'll drown your sorry ass." And with that she left, following Loke back towards Lucy.

The guild was still in complete silence as they turned their focus to Natsu. He sat amongst the rubble with his mouth hanging open.

Levy sighed once again. This was certainly not going to be easy. _'Stay safe Lu,'_ her thoughts drifting back to her blonde best friend.

Lucy had slowed down to a more manageable pace when her spirits assured her that nobody was following. Making her way back to her apartment, she used her time to go over the request that she had chosen. "I wonder what Gate Key it will be…" She trailed off, lost in thought.

Aquarius just scoffed. "Nothing as strong as me, that's for sure. I'm going to leave you to your daydreaming Blondie," and with that she disappeared in a burst of golden light. Lucy chuckled. Turning her head slightly to face Loke, she spoke. "Loke, how about you go back too? I can handle myself now, no worries!"

Loke smiled down at her before bowing his head slightly. "As you wish, Princess. Call me if you need anything," he winked, before he too vanished in a flash of gold. Lucy smiled fondly before returning to her thoughts. She absentmindedly began to chew at her lip, a habit she had developed when she was young.

'_He seemed urgent…'_ she recalled, thinking back to what had happened not long ago in the guild hall. _'No, snap out of it Lucy! He's the one who made you cry, you are not going to think about him right now!'_ She scolded herself, before rounding the corner to stand in front of her apartment building. Entering the building and making up the stairs, she stopped to find Virgo standing there, suitcase in hand.

"Hello, Princess. I packed your bag for you. Punishment?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. Lucy giggled before answering her. "No punishment, Virgo. Thank you for packing for me, you really didn't need to do that," she said, observing the suitcase on the floor. "I wanted to, Princess. I'll be on my way now," she exclaimed, before leaving promptly back through her gate.

Lucy let out a laugh, echoing through the rooms of her empty apartment. Walking through the door, she sat down at her desk in her bedroom. She hadn't written to her mother in a week, and she needed to talk to her. She grasped a piece of paper and a pen, and began to write.

**_August 6th X785_**

**_Mama,_**

**_I miss you. It's been a really hard week, not having you here with me. _**

**_Remember Natsu? I walked in to the guild this morning and found him there with Lisanna. I know I shouldn't be mad at him, but I can't help it. Mama, I'm hurting. I wish I could make these feelings go away, but I can't. On the plus side, my Spirits came and helped me out. I love them so much. Even Aquarius wasn't like her usual self! She came to the guild with me so I wouldn't have to be alone._**

**_I'm going on a job, Mama. It's my first solo job. I'll be at Mt Hakobe for a week with my Spirits, getting rid of some pesky Vulcan. A Gate Key is part of the reward! I'm looking forward to meeting them. If they want to make a contract, that is. Even so, I'll be their friend. _**

**_I have to go now, Mama. I promise to write as soon as I get home from the job. I love you._**

**_Love, Lucy._**

Lucy sighed as she put down the pen. Carefully, she folded the letter before putting it in the box to be with the others. She stretched her arms as she stood up, before turning and walking out of her bedroom. Grabbing her suitcase, she walked out and locked her apartment, and made her way down onto the street. All she had to do now was go to the train station and she'd be on her way.

She gave a determined nod, and set out to begin her job.


	3. Part III

**Hi everyone! **

**As I said in the description, there would be a minimum of three parts. Since this seems to be going better than expected, I will continue! Thank you for the follows so far, especially since this is my first story – I really appreciate it! Please feel free to PM me about suggestions and requests for future stories, I would love some ideas! **

**Furthermore, if any of you could send in a review or a message about your thoughts on the story so far, that would be fantastic! I would really appreciate some feedback, whether it be positive or criticism.**

**Without further ado, I hope you enjoy the next installment to Anguish! **

**Love, Indigo**

* * *

><p><strong>Part III<strong>

The screech of the train coming to a halt startled Lucy from her slumber.

"Ugh…" Lucy let a groan of pain slip past her lips. Her neck was rigid and sore from lack of movement over the four hour train ride. Plue remained sound asleep in Lucy's lap. She had summoned him just as the train left Magnolia, to evade feeling alone. She hated being alone, though that was quite contradictory to the present situation she had put herself in.

Reaching a hand up to rub at her weary eyes, she turned her head to face the window. Rivers and streams snaked their way through the land, reflections of the sun flickering across the surface of the water. Beautiful shades of oranges and pinks streaked the sky as the sun began to set behind the mountains. A contented smile tugged at her lips – she wouldn't have to begin the job until tomorrow. Daydreams of the bed awaiting her clouded her mind until she was interrupted by a chirpy voice over the loudspeaker.

"Ladies and Gentlemen we have reached the town of Chandra. Please gather your belongings and move in an orderly fashion out of your carriage. On behalf of the crew we hope you enjoyed the ri-"

Lucy zoned out as she gently shook the still-sleeping Plue in her lap. "Plue we're here, it's time to wake up…" she crooned, watching as he opened his tired eyes.

"Puuuunnn," he drawled out, moving to sit up as he rubbed his eyes. She giggled, patting him on his head. "It's okay Plue, you can go back now." He stifled a yawn before nodding. "Pun pun!" He waved as he vanished, returning through his gate.

Lucy carefully retrieved her bag from the compartment above her booth, before exiting the train. It had been an uncomfortable trip and she was looking forward to the bed and shower that awaited her at the town's inn.

Street lights flickered on as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. Lucy wandered through the streets, making her way to the town's centre. The town itself was quaint, with a very Aztec-inspired feel to it. Lucy found herself enjoying the sights of the time-worn architecture and features that popped up at every turn of a corner. Nevertheless, nothing compared to the town's centre. Her eyes widened with surprise as she set her sights on the canal that was situated outside of the town hall. How she had not seen it from the train station, she had absolutely no idea. It completely divided the town into two, with the exception of the numerous bridges that connected the two sides together.

Walking over to one of the various bridges, she peered into the water. It was as clear as crystal, with fish of all kinds darting through the water. She smiled as Happy's voice chimed through her head, drooling over the thought of fish and how excited he would be. Taking one last look at the water, she continued on her way towards the inn, spotting it on the other side of the canal.

She stifled a yawn as she absentmindedly went through the process of checking in and finding her room. After walking through the door she flopped down onto the bed, completely exhausted. The events of this morning had really taken it out of her. Suppressing those thoughts, she reluctantly got back up and opened up her bag, taking out her sleepwear.

She trudged to the bathroom and closed the door. After setting down her clothes on the edge of the basin, she pulled her hair up into a bun. Washing her hair would take up too much time, and she really didn't want to be kept from sleep for longer than she needed to. Stepping into the shower, Lucy turned on the tap and hissed when the freezing water hit her body.

As she waited for the water to warm up, she thought about how the guild was doing. Though she hated to admit it, she was extremely embarrassed about what happened earlier that day. She was not looking forward to returning and having to face everyone about what had ensued in front of them, though she guessed that they already had a clue.

Heaving a sigh, she stepped back into the water, letting it take away her thoughts with it. She needn't worry right now – it would only distract her from the job that lay ahead of her.

* * *

><p>Natsu sat alone at the bar and nursed a particularly nasty bruise that adorned his jaw. The swelling had yet to cease, despite Erza's beating taking place hours ago. To say that she was mad was definitely an understatement, as he unfortunately found out. The shades of purple and blue appearing on numerous parts of his body clearly exhibited that.<p>

'_Luce…'_ His mind drifted to the blonde mage yet again. He still had no idea what he had done wrong. Whenever he tried to ask someone else, they brushed him off with a glare. The look she had given him scared the life out of him, but it didn't reach her eyes. He could still see the sadness circling in her orbs before she took off.

He sighed, and looked up to see Mira staring at him from the other end of the bar. He acknowledged her with a slight nod of his head, before turning his attention back to relieving the pain in his jaw. He could see that she was approaching him and prepared for more verbal abuse from another guild mate.

"Here to scold me like everyone else?" He mocked, turning his body to face her. She lowered herself down onto the bar stool next to him, letting out a sigh before she spoke up.

"No, I'm not. I'm here because I want to sort out what happened earlier today," she said gently. "And to do that, I need to speak with you." Natsu nodded, gesturing for her to carry on.

She hesitated slightly before continuing. "Natsu, have you ever thought about your… feelings, towards Lucy?"

Natsu could feel the heat rise to his cheeks instantly. Despite being known as dense to the majority of the guild, he had picked up on his feelings towards Lucy a while ago. He was scared though. Lucy was his best friend, and he wasn't ready for that to change over his feelings for her. He didn't want to lose her, she was way to important. His heart raced whenever she flashed him one of her gentle smiles. She was tough as nails, never failing to amaze him. He knew Lucy was attractive. Heck, the whole world knew she was. He had never really picked up on it, however, until about six months ago.

_Lucy was leaning against a tree attempting to get her breath back after a particularly difficult job. He had called out her name asking her if she was alright, when his heart stopped. She turned to look at him with half-lidded eyes. The sunlight that leaked through the branches above her hit her features in just the right places, making her glow. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from exertion, though it matched the pink hue of her parted lips. Strands of blonde hair had fallen out of her ponytail and framed her face, the rest flowing down her back. She looked like an angel. He felt the blush creep up his neck as he buried his face in his scarf. _

_She giggled before standing up and walking over to him. "I'm fine Natsu, just tired. Come on, let's go find Gray and Erza," she brushed past him to walk ahead. He stood in a daze for a few moments before snapping out of it. "R-right, coming!"_

He recollected his thoughts before answering Mira's question. "What do you mean?" She sent him a pointed look before continuing. "You know exactly what I mean Natsu. Do you like Lucy?"

"Luce is my best friend and partner! You know that Mira…" He trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

Mira just heaved a sigh. "That's exactly what she said when I had this talk with her a few months ago," she muttered under her breath.

Natsu's eyes widened. "Wait what do you mean? You spoke to Luce about me?" She could see the hope that swam in his eyes. "I did. Now let's sort out what happened earlier," she prompted, before Natsu's loud protesting drowned her out.

"But-" He was quickly cut off when he glanced at Mira's face. He knew not to argue with her when she had that look in her eye.

"Good. Let's continue. Natsu, when Lucy came to the guild this morning, what do you think she saw?" She questioned. He thought about it for a while, trying to place what he was doing when she came in this morning.

"Well I remember talking to you and Lisanna, and then she hugged me for helping her out with a mission…" Natsu's eyes dawned in realization as she spoke up again. "Good. Now why do you think Lucy would get upset about that?" She pressed, waiting for his answer.

"Mira you don't think Luce-" He cut himself off when he saw the knowing look that was on her face. "... She does?" He questioned, eyes as wide as saucers. Mira just smiled, knowing that her work here was done.

"I'll leave you to sort this one out Natsu," She winked, before leaving back to her post at the other end of the bar.

He sat there stunned for a good ten minutes, before a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. He shouted a loud holler, before bolting his way out of the guild and crashing straight through the door. The rest of the guild just looked at each other completely baffled, before returning to what they had been doing.

Gajeel just watched the scene from his secluded table in the back corner of the guild hall. "Tch," he muttered under his breath. "That idiot flame-brain. What's he up to now?"

* * *

><p>Lucy walked out from the bathroom, now dressed in her sleepwear. She crawled under the covers of her bed and took her hair out of the messy bun it had been in. Exhaustion quickly took over her body, but her mind was still busy with thoughts preventing her from sleep. Looking for a distraction, she looked out of the window next to the bed and up at the moon.<p>

It was full and extremely bright, its light glistening on the surface of the canal below. She smiled and snuggled back down into her bed, listening to the water as it flowed through the town. Her eyes became heavy as she let the peaceful sound lull her to sleep, dreaming of a certain dragon slayer and their life together that would never exist.

* * *

><p><strong>I know the chapter was a little short and uneventful, but I had to get it out of the way! In the next chapter the action finally starts, and Lucy will be taking on the job at Mt. Hakobe. It's almost 4 AM here in Australia as I'm posting this, but the next chapter will probably be out later on! Thank you for reading, stay tuned! <strong>


	4. Message

Hi guys!

Sorry this isn't the new chapter - I've been very busy for the past few days but I can promise you that it is just about complete! It's a very long chapter to make up for not having it here sooner, and I hope you all enjoy it. It's currently the early ours in the morning of the 28th here in Australia, and I can guarantee you that **it will be up by the end of the day!**

Anyway, what I'm here to say is that **I have created a poll** and I would really appreciate it if you did it for me! After this story is complete (which will be in the next two weeks) I am going to start writing a few Fairy Tail one-shots alongside a really long chapter-fic. I would like **your ideas** on characters you would like me to focus on, pairings you want me to write about, and what genre you want me to write about! Please do the poll, or PM me! **I really want to make you all happy.**

Thanks again everyone!

Love, Indigo


	5. Part IV

**Welcome back everyone!**

**Thank you so much for all the views! I've been checking my stats and saw that as I am posting this have had 1287 views in total, and that makes me extremely happy.****Despite this, I still have a lack of reviews which is quite disappointing. I really don't want to do this, but I won't update the next chapter until there is a minimum of 15 reviews – I really, really would like some feedback. I promise this won't happen again in the future. ****In saying this, however, I would like to thank FairyTail555, loveanimeliz, Searching for my Rushmore, and Gothazon for their reviews! It means a lot to me.**

**Also, I would like to apologize for the late update! I have been very busy as of late with University. As my apology, please accept this chapter, double the length at almost 5000 words! Enjoy Part IV of Anguish! **

**Love, Indigo**

* * *

><p><strong>Part IV<strong>

"Erza, would you cut it out already? She'll be fine," Gray lectured. His teammate had been pacing back and forth in the same spot for the past hour, and it was really starting to set his nerves on edge.

Erza blinked. Once. Twice. Then, a frown crossed her face.

"I'm worried. We're a team, Gray. I understand the rift that has divided her from Natsu, but she could have at least taken one of us along with her. I swear if she gets injured, I'll never forgive myself," she chastised herself, bringing her hands up to rub at her temples.

Gray grunted a semblance of a chuckle before cutting off her ramblings. "Give her a break Erza, she's tough as nails. She'll be fine. Besides, she's not alone. Loke and the others are with her, and you know as well as I do that they would never let someone harm her. Lighten up, will ya?"

Erza had stopped in her tracks and had cast him a questionable look, before letting a small smile cross her features. "I guess you're right, Gray. Still, it does nothing to cease my worry…"

The loud bang of the doors being slammed open echoed throughout the guild hall, effectively grabbing the attention of all who were inside. Master Makarov had made his entrance apparent, as he trudged his way towards the stairs to the second floor.

"Why Master, you're back early!" Mira exclaimed with her signature smile. "How did your meeting with the Magic Council go?"

Makarov just looked at her and sighed, before continuing on his way. Faint mumbling could be heard under his breath, complaining about 'the trouble these brats give him' and how 'his stack of paperwork will never decrease'.

Mira chucked, "That bad, huh?"

With a wave of his hand he ascended the stairs towards his office to once again resume his work on his never-ending mountain of complaints.

Erza and Gray just looked at each other before resuming what they had been doing prior to the interruption. Neither of them, however, decided to speak up about the terrible feeling that had steadily been accumulating since Lucy had taken off.

* * *

><p>A gentle breeze fanned Lucy's slightly flushed face as she ambled towards the town hall. She had dressed in warmer clothing to combat the freezing temperatures of Mt Hakobe. It was finally time to take on her first solo job, and so she was going to meet with the Mayor of Chandra.<p>

She pushed open the doors and gaped in awe. She had not expected to be met with such a sight. The entrance was one of grandeur, completely differing from the worn feel of the buildings outside. The white marble floors glistened with the light of the extravagant chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling. Large vases of various flowers and flora sprouted from the ground, adding a touch of colour to the luxury that lay before her eyes.

Forcing herself out of her stupor, she walked to the front desk a few paces in front of her. A young woman approximately in her twenties manned the counter, and greeted Lucy with a soft smile.

"Welcome to the town hall. How may I be of service to you?" Her friendly disposition was very reminiscent of Mira.

"Hi, I'm here responding to the job request that was sent to Fairy Tail," Lucy answered.

"Ah yes, Miss Heartfilia. We've been expecting you," She smiled, moving out from behind the desk. "Please, follow me," She gestured, before pivoting 180 degrees and making her way to the elevator.

The Mayor's office was located on the highest floor of the building. Stepping out into the foyer, she once again began to follow the receptionist – whose name she found out was Estelle – listening as the traditional 'click' of her high heels echoed off the walls. The foyer itself was quite dim, but a single ray of sunlight from the small window fell across her face and lit a fire in her eyes. Loke's words from the previous morning before really struck a chord inside of her. She was determined as ever to complete this job and prove to her guild that she was strong; not just a weak link to the guild.

"The Mayor is ready to see you now," Estelle interrupted her thoughts as her gaze fell upon the large doors in front of her. She bowed her head slightly, before turning around and making her way back to the elevator. Lucy took a deep breath and pushed open one of the doors. The office was just as divine as the halls entrance. Though she was not entirely surprised, the sight still managed to slacken her jaw.

A grand mahogany desk occupied the middle of the room, with plush lounges lining the walls either side of it. A mural had been painted on the wall behind the desk, depicting the beautiful landscape under the moonlight that she had seen while on the train. She was so busy admiring the room in front of her that she almost missed the sound of the Mayor entering from another door to the left of her.

"Ah, you must be Miss Heartfilia! Welcome to Chandra, child!" He exclaimed. Lucy reluctantly peeled her gaze away from the luxury to look at the man in front of her. "I'm the Mayor of this town, but please call me by my name, Himanshu."

He was quite short, only reaching her shoulders when standing up. His grey hair and wrinkled features demonstrated his old age, but his weary blue eyes still remained bright and held a youthful spark. His attire did not match in with the room at all, opting for what looked like the town's traditional garments. He wore what looked like a simple beige tunic, paired with loose dark pants that reached just below his knees. He donned simple black sandals, matching the tilma coat that was draped over his shoulders. A moon pendant hung from his neck, catching the light from the windows in the room. A black cane was also held in his right hand.

"We've been awaiting your arrival, we're so happy you have come to aid us," he continued, leading her to his desk. He lowered himself down into his chair, before motioning her to do the same opposite him.

"It's my pleasure, I'm happy I can help," she replied, smiling at him. "And please, just call me Lucy. I understand you're having difficulty with the Vulcans that live on the mountain?" she queried.

A small frown crossed his face before he answered her question. "Yes… It is most unfortunate," he said as he stroked his chin, lost in thought. "Trouble is brewing on Mt Hakobe… Though I am unsure of what that trouble is. We used to be troubled by a lone Vulcan, but we could defend ourselves and drive it away…" He trailed off.

"Oh," Lucy interjected. "Then what has changed?"

"The pack has grown in leaps and bounds. As you may have noticed, Chandra does not have a magic guild. As such, our number of mages and wizards is limited," He frowned. "They've been wreaking havoc in the south of the town, near our sacred grounds. Each time they return in higher numbers. We're worried that serious damage with befall our sacred land if this keeps up. That's why we have requested your help."

"I see," Lucy started, pondering over what she had just been told. "How often do they come down from the mountain?" She asked.

"They only come once a week," he answered. "That is why we have requested your presence now, so that you can stop them before they come back down."

Lucy nodded in understanding. "I understand," She got up from her chair. "I'll start immediately, Mr. Himanshu."

"Wait," he interrupted her. "Please do not leave just yet. There is something I still have to give to you."

Lucy lowered herself back down into her chair, confusion clearly evident on her face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small key, before bending down to a locked drawer in his desk. Inserting and turning the key, it became unlocked with a loud click. He pulled out a small, slim box before closing the draw again and turning his attention back to Lucy.

"Please, take this with you," he started, pushing the box towards Lucy. "I know proper protocol states that rewards come after the job has been completed, but I would rather you have it for extra protection."

Lucy's eyes widened as she opened the box. There, laid in velvet was a gate key. She owned a few silver keys, but none of them shone as brightly as the one in front of her. Engraved in the head of the key was a full moon, glimmering when the light hit. Intricate swirls were traced from the head to the teeth, which were made up of silver canine-looking fangs, jutting out from the shaft. It was a beautiful key.

"That," Himanshu continued, "Is the Key of the Wolf. I sense your connections to your Spirits, and I believe that you are the right person for this key. Please, take care of it," He said, as he took the key from the box and placed it in her hand.

"O-okay…" Lucy was unsure of what to say. The second the key touched her fingers she could sense the strange aura coming from it, though she didn't speak up about it. "Thank you, Mr. Himanshu. I promise to look after it."

He smiled gently before continuing. "Thank you, my child. You best be off, I don't want to keep you waiting much longer," He stood from his chair and walked around his desk to stand next to Lucy.

"Yes, of course," She said quickly, standing up with him and walking towards the door. "Thank you so much, I promise I will fix your problems with the Vulcan. You can count on me!" She declared determinedly.

"Follow the canal through the town and you will find yourself on a path towards Mt Hakobe. Thank you Lucy, I'll see you soon," He stated.

She nodded, turning on her heel and walking out of the office. She looked down to the key in her hand and attached it to her key chain. She stroked it affectionately, still trying to figure out the strange aura. Nevertheless, she was finally on her way to do this job, and she was determined as ever to prove herself.

* * *

><p>Natsu was strolling through the streets of Magnolia, heading back to the guild. A grin was stretched across his face, thinking about a certain blonde-haired mage.<p>

He was so happy after speaking with Mira yesterday that he had broken into her apartment and slept there for the night with Happy. He couldn't wait for her to come home from her mission – he knew she would be angry and upset, but he would make it all better.

As the doors to the guild came within reach, he pushed them open. He made his way over to the bar with a smile on his face and a light blush tinted across his cheeks.

"The usual please, Mira!" He shouted to the white-haired mage at the opposite end of the bar. She gave him a nod before walking off, preparing his food.

Gajeel looked towards Natsu, who was occupying the chair a few down from him.

"Tch. Bunny girl's gonna be mad at you when she gets back," He stated, one eye open and settled on the pink-haired monstrosity.

"Shut it, metal head!" He shouted back.

Gajeel growled. "What'd you say, Salamander?!" He shouted, bringing his fist up ready to fight.

"Both of you, cut it out. Now."

Both boys turned to see Mira in her Satan Soul form and visibly cowered under her glare, resuming what they were doing before. Mira sighed, releasing her takeover and tending to Natsu's food.

All three mages didn't speak up about the bad feeling that was swirling inside about the blonde-haired mage they were so familiar with.

* * *

><p>Lucy sighed with relief as she collapsed to the ground. She had been walking for hours and she was exhausted. She was already most of the way up the mountain, and had not yet come across the Vulcan she was looking for. She needed a break to ensure that she would have the energy to fight.<p>

"Ugh, I'm so beat," She moaned, rubbing her legs. She was interrupted, however, when a burst of golden light manifested beside her. "Virgo! What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Princess. I sensed your need for rejuvenation. I brought you your bag," She handed it to Lucy.

Lucy took it from her hands and opened it. Inside it contained food and water, along with a towel. "Oh, thank you Virgo," she answered. "You didn't have to do that…"

A hint of a smile crossed Virgo's features. "I wanted to, Princess. I must go now. The rest of the Zodiac wanted you to know that we are prepared for battle, and wish you luck for the fight ahead."

Lucy nodded. "Thank you, Virgo. I'll see you all soon," she smiled. Virgo bowed her head, before disappearing in the same flash of light.

Lucy ate and drank in silence, thinking about her team. Although she didn't want to admit it, she was lonely without them with her. Usually they would sit around together eating and engaging in friendly banter, talking about the people they were about to beat. She sighed. She knew she would have to go back to her team when she returned, she wasn't strong enough to remain as a solo mage.

She packed up her gear, giving it to Virgo when she returned to pick it up. _'It's time to go,' _she thought, fondly touching her keys. The odd aura swept over her body again when her fingers brushed over her newly acquired key. _'Sadness… perhaps anger?'_ She thought. Tired of thinking it over, she decided that she would find out what was going on from the Spirit themselves.

She took the key from her chain and held it in the air. "Open, Gate of the Wolf!" She shouted, watching as golden light began to manifest in front of her.

The air was quickly forced out of her lungs as Lucy suddenly found herself on the ground. She looked up, only to find herself trapped under the paw of a very large wolf. A deep growl resounded from its chest, before it lowered its head to look her in the eyes.

"What are your intentions, human? How did you get my key?" It snarled, waiting for a response.

To say Lucy was terrified was an understatement. Quickly gathering up as much courage as possible, she answered the wolf pinning her down with as much bravery as she could manage.

"M-my name is Lucy Heartfilia, and I'm a celestial wizard from Fairy Tail. I summoned you with the intention of asking about the aura that I felt from your key. Your key was given to me by Mr. Himanshu after I accepted his job request," The wolf growled again, prompting her to speed up her explanation. "H-however if you do not want me in possession of your key I would be more than happy to return it to him when I return to Chandra, once my mission is complete," she rushed, looking back up at the wolf. It looked at her with questioning eyes, before it became shrouded in a bright golden light. Lucy felt the paw disappear and she became disappointed that it had left, before noticing the light vanish and leaving something else in the wolf's place.

She stood up, and looked at what was in front of her. A male that looked to be in his mid-twenties stood before her. Lucy immediately felt the heat rise to her cheeks. He had muscular arms, each with tribal patterned armbands wrapped around his biceps. His chiselled chest was bare, with a moon pendant hanging from his neck. He wore long, loose fitting pants with a strip of fur adorning the hem. Canine ears poked through his shaggy black hair, and a tail sprouted from behind. Faded grey cultural tattoos were marked under his eyes and on his forehead. It was his piercing golden eyes that were staring at her, however, that unnerved her the most.

"Lucy Heartfilia, you say?" He questioned. "I've heard of you. You're the one with most of the Zodiac Spirits. Many Spirits hope that their keys fall in to your possession," He said, looking at her curiously.

Lucy quickly gained her composure. "Yes, that's me," Lucy looked up before tentatively adding, "What is your name?"

He looked her up and down before answering her question. "I am the wolf, Lupus," he started. "However, I have no intention of forming a contract with you. My key has not been owned for decades, and I plan to keep it that way," he growled at her.

"It's alright, Lupus. If you don't want to make a contract with me then I will keep your key safe, unless you want me to return it to Mr. Himanshu," She took a step backwards.

Lupus looked at her, completely baffled. _'Why wouldn't she want a contract? That's all they ever want…'_ He thought, before answering her. "Why wo-"

Another golden light appeared next to Lucy, cutting him off. Loke immediately took a protective stance in front of Lucy.

"Stay back," He warned. "If you touch my master you'll be sorry," he directed at Lupus.

Lupus growled back. "Leo the Lion," he began. "Your master was the one that summoned me. I'm merely here to tell her that I'm not interested in being her puppet like you are,"

Loke frowned before stepping back, letting a hand rest on Lucy's shoulder. "Lucy's not my master, she's my friend. She would never use any of us as puppets!"

Lupus scowled. "Friend?"

"Yes, friend," Lucy spoke up. "I love all of my Spirits, they're like family. I would never use them as puppets! I fight beside them like a Celestial wizard should!"

His eyes widened. _'I've never met a Celestial wizard like her before_' He thought, shocked. _'Friends? No contract? Fighting together? I've never heard of such a person…'_

Suddenly a roar reverberated in the cavern around them, cutting him off from his thoughts. A flash of white suddenly appeared in front of him, moving too quickly for him to react.

"Watch out!" Lucy shouted, before jumping in front of Lupus.

"Lucy, get away from there!" Loke shouted desperately from behind.

The Vulcan let out another loud roar before bringing its hand down at lightning-fast speed and hit Lucy, sending her flying into the wall beside them.

"LUCY!" Loke yelled, immediately tending to his master.

'…_She blocked that? For me?'_ Lupus thought, completely shocked.

Lucy let out a groan, before shakily standing up. "I'm fine Loke," She denied his outstretched hand, steadying herself on her own. She looked ahead of her. A lone Vulcan stood in the centre of the large cabin. Its eyes were narrowed and staring straight at her, preparing itself to attack again.

Loke's words from the previous day echoed in her head.

'_You're always talking about how you want to get stronger, aren't you? Well then this is perfect!' _

A strange sense of determination overtook Lucy, as her mind continued to wander. _'I need to show the guild that I'm strong, that I'm not dead weight!' _She thought self-assuredly. _'But to do that…'_ She trailed off, taking a look at Loke. _'…I need to do it alone'_

Her hands ghosted over her keys. "Please forgive me, everyone…" She said quietly, before chanting something under her breath.

Loke quickly recognised what she was doing. "Lucy, no! You can't!" He shouted.

"…I implore… forced gate closure!" She shouted. Loke and Lupus were suddenly shrouded in a white light, before being forced back through their gates to the Celestial Spirit world. She sighed, before turning her attention back to the Vulcan in front of her. "Let's go!" She shouted.

Lucy's hand wrapped around the whip strapped to her belt, before yanking it off and cracking it. This brought out her Fleuve d'étioles. The Vulcan roared in response before charging at her, colliding in a flash of blue and golden light.

* * *

><p>Loke and Lupus were abruptly thrust back in to the Celestial world, joining Lucy's fellow Spirits.<p>

"No, Lucy!" Loke roared, before trying to force himself back through his gate. When he tried to step through, a vigour of magical energy pushed him back onto the ground, preventing him from entering Earthland.

"What's wrong Loke?" Capricorn asked, concern evident on his face. Loke whipped his head around to find his fellow Zodiac Spirits, along with Lupus, staring back at him.

"It's Lucy, she's forced our gates shut," He said frantically. "She's fighting on her own!"

A collective gasp arose from the group of Spirits. All of them looked worried, with the exception of Lupus, who looked downright confused.

"Tch," Aquarius muttered. "Like hell she made us go through that whole ordeal and refuses to let us fight!" She tried forcing her way through her gate, only to end up on the ground in the same position as Loke. "What the hell Blondie…" She murmured. "What are you trying to achieve?"

All of the Spirits watched Lucy through their gates, feeling completely helpless as she fought the ever growing pack of Vulcan in front of her, with only her Fleuve d'étioles.

"This isn't good…" Capricorn spoke up, everyone turning to look at him questioningly. "At this rate she'll use up all of her magic energy. She's already expending massive amounts keeping our gates shut, I'm amazed she's still able to fight at all," He explained, before turning back to his gate to watch her.

"Piri piri!" Gemini cried, banging their small fists against their gate. Each of them resumed trying to force open their individual gates, only to fail.

Lupus looked at the Spirits before him, desperately trying to go to their master's side. He had never seen anything like this before… He had only ever met greedy Celestial wizards, only wanting his key for their own personal gain. He didn't understand Lucy… why was she so special?

* * *

><p>Lucy could feel the worry rolling off of her keys in waves. She could feel them trying desperately to come through their gates, but she just couldn't let that happen. She needed to prove to her team, to the guild, to herself… that she was strong and that she wasn't just a weakling who relied on her Spirits to fight for her.<p>

"Ah!" She shrieked, as she was slammed into the icy wall behind her. Her body crumpled onto the ground, battered and bruised. She looked to the perpetrator in front of her. The lone Vulcan she had been facing earlier had been joined by 6 others from its pack, and they were not making it easy for her. She had been continuously thrown around, only managing to take down 3 of them with her Fleuve d'étioles.

She shakily stood to her feet, trying to show no weakness to her opponents. A loud roar caused her to whip her head around. Her eyes instantly widened, and her jaw fell slack, but it was too late. Claws had already sunken deep into Lucy's stomach, before being ruthlessly ripped out. Lucy lifted her hands to touch her stomach. As she looked down, all she could see was her own blood dripping from her fingers. She fell onto the ground in pain, and looked to her side. There were at least another 10 Vulcan now standing behind her, eager to join their companions in battle. The one with bloody claws looked at her with Malice in its eyes, clearly ready for more.

'_I can't keep this up much longer, I have barely any magic energy left…'_ She thought._ 'But… there is a spell that I can use,' _She remembered, an idea popping in to her mind.

"Forgive me…" She whispered, thinking of her Spirits, her team and her guild.

Lucy struggled forward to kneel, as she didn't have the energy to stand. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, clearing her mind completely. Suddenly, a bright golden magic circle formed beneath her, as she began to chant a spell.

* * *

><p>"LUCY!" A collective shout came from all of the Spirits present. Each of them had watched in horror as she had been stabbed by one of the Vulcan.<p>

Aries brought her hands up to her mouth to muffle a cry, tears pooling in her eyes. Their reactions were very reminiscent to those they had displayed when their master had been hurt by Natsu.

"_Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens...  
>All the stars, far and wide..."<em>

Loke's expression deadpanned as he heard the words that were coming from Lucy's mouth, before it morphed into one of complete anguish.

"NO! Lucy you can't use that spell!" He screamed, banging his fist against the barrier on his gate. "You could die!"

"_Show me thy appearance...  
>With such shine,"<em>

Aquarius snarled aggressively, before once again trying to force her gate open. "Don't you dare die on me brat, you hear!?" She yelled.

The rest of Lucy's Spirits stood motionless, completely and utterly shocked at what she was trying to attempt. Lupus watched on with the same expression on his face, dumbfounded as to why someone would risk their life for them.

"_Oh Tetrabiblos...  
>I am the ruler of the stars..."<em>

They looked on helplessly as the space around her filled with stars and planets, all drawn close to her body.

"I don't get it…" Lupus spoke up. "How can she still be strong enough to perform the spell?"

Loke looked at him with sad eyes before answering him.

"She isn't."

* * *

><p><em>"Aspect become complete...<br>__Open thy savage gate,"_

Lucy could hear the faint cries of her Spirits calling out to her. As much as she desperately tried to block them from her mind, they still pushed through. A lone tear escaped her eye as she prepared for the final part of the spell.

"_Oh 88 Stars of the heaven...  
>Shine!"<em>

She looked up at the enemy, as the 88 constellation spheres began to surround her body and expand. She tilted her head back and lifted her arms, preparing for what was about to come. With as much magical energy as she could muster, she executed the spell.

"_**URANO METRIA!"**_

The spheres unleashed on the enemy at lightning speed, as Lucy's head thrust backwards. Every last drop of magic Lucy still possessed was sucked out of her body like a vacuum and redirected at the enemies surrounding her. She could hear their roars as they were bombarded with the spheres, falling to the ground in pain and defeat.

The golden light beneath Lucy's feet fizzled, the starry sky around her fading completely. The magic circle vanished, indicating that the spell had worked and was over.

* * *

><p>The pressure in the air lifted, and the Spirits stared at each other. The magical barrier on their gates had vanished.<p>

"Oh, no," Virgo whispered, fear swirling in her eyes.

They all looked at each other before realising what it meant. In an instant all of them rushed through their gates, including Lupus.

'_What was she thinking?'_

* * *

><p>Lucy looked around her as soon as the spell had concluded, only to see the Vulcan knocked out on the ground. Suddenly feeling very weak, Lucy fell backwards onto the ground, searing pain shooting through her head. She reached a feeble hand behind her head, only to pull out a bloodied shard of rock.<p>

'_What…?'_ She thought faintly, before her hand dropped to her side.

Darkness began to cloud in her mind, as she realised what was happening. She could hear a loud poof as golden light began to envelope the room. Her eyes had closed by this point, as she was drifting off into slumber. The last thing she heard before the shadowy abyss claimed her was the panicked voices of her Spirits, desperately calling out her name.

'_I'm sorry, everyone…'_


	6. Part V

**Hello again everyone! **

**I couldn't help myself, I just had to upload this chapter! I know I left you all on a cliffhanger. Even though I didn't receive the amount of reviews that I was hoping for, I still did receive some and I'm very thankful to those who went to the effort of doing that for me! The amount of views I'm getting amazes me, I'm just over 2000 as I'm writing this - thank you so, so much!**

**Anyway, please continue to review, it really does motivate me to finish chapters faster and upload them for you guys. **

**I hope you enjoy this installment of Anguish!**

**Love, Indigo**

* * *

><p><strong>Part V<strong>

The gathered members of Fairy Tail were up to their usual antics, bustling around the ever-busy guild hall. Wendy was sitting at a small table near the back of the guild reading over the book that was given to her by Porlyusica, which Grandeeney had left in her possession.

'_I just can't understand this spell…' _She thought frustrated as she pondered over Milky Way. Her frustration, however, was interrupted when a loud popping sound was heard coming from outside at the front of the guild. A familiar smell wafted in the air, and Wendy recognized it immediately. She looked up, only to find her fellow dragon slayer guild mates looking at her with the same expression on their face.

Wendy laughed excitedly and breathed in the air once again, only this time to be stopped short. Her eyes widened in fear when she recognized the strong metallic stench in the air.

Carla looked up at Wendy and touched a paw to her arm. "Wendy? What's wrong child?"

Wendy couldn't bring herself to answer, and looked back towards Natsu and Gajeel. Natsu had already left his previous position and was running towards the door. Gajeel had stood up in his seat and was staring directly at her, already preparing for what was about to come.

All of a sudden, the doors of the guild were abruptly slammed open, the members inside falling completely silent. The eyes of every person were focused on the doors, and widened significantly when they realized who had entered.

Each of Lucy's Zodiac Spirits rushed through the door in a state of panic. Guild members all across the hall turned to look at each other, confusion clearly evident in their expressions. The first to speak up was Mirajane.

"My goodness, what are you all doing here? Shouldn't you all be with Lucy?" She asked with her signature friendly disposition. Her facial features quickly deadpanned and her skin paled as she realised the implications of her question. Hastily, she spoke up again. "Where's Lucy?"

Hearing this, the spirits stepped aside. A large, dark haired wolf walked through the front door. Most guild members immediately took a defensive stance, only to falter on closer inspection. Gathered up on Lupus' back, Lucy was lying limp and unresponsive. Bruises all over her had already become visible, continuing to show up on her body in different shades of purple and blue. A large cut adorned her forehead, along with numerous lacerations across her arms, legs and chest. Her usually perfect long blonde hair was dirty and matted, her bangs sticking to the dried blood on her forehead. Most concerning of all, however, would be the amount of Lucy's blood that was present on a number of her spirits. Gemi and Mini continued to hover above Lucy, their hands pressed to the large wound on her gut in an attempt to stop the bleeding. These attempts were in vain, as blood continued to seep through her shirt and their small hands. Lucy's head lay still in Aquarius's lap, blood leaking from yet another wound that seemed to be on the back of her head.

All of a sudden, the guild was in a panic. People were running wild, with some shouting for Wendy and some approaching the spirits for answers. None of the spirits responded however, their focus clearly on their master and friend, Lucy. Natsu had approached them immediately, demanding answers.

"What happened to her?!" He screamed, his hands tight around Loke's collar. "How could you let this happen?!" Tears began to gather in Natsu's eyes after seeing the state Lucy was in up close.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Flashback<strong>_

"_LUCY!" Loke shrieked, stumbling over to her limp body. Each of the Spirits, including Lupus, had immediately come through their gates the second the barrier was down. _

"_You idiot, what were you thinking…" Aquarius muttered, quickly making her way to Lucy's side. She bent down and brushed the hair out of her face. She turned to face her fellow Spirits before speaking up. "She's weak… we need to get her back to those Fairy Tail healers otherwise she might not make it," Her voice wavered slightly. _

_A loud pop accompanied by a golden light drew the attention of them all, and they turned to face the source of the disruption. Lupus had transformed into his much larger wolf form, which startled many of them. _

"_Who are you?" _

"_Stay back from our master!"_

"_What are you doing here?"_

_A chorus of questions and statements were heard as Loke sweat dropped. 'Why am I not surprised they didn't notice him here before?' Loke thought almost amused, if it wasn't for the situation at hand. He sighed before standing up in front of Lupus._

"_He's been here the whole time, he was the gate key reward she got for this job. It's Lupus, the Wolf Spirit. He means no harm. Right now we just need to focus on Lucy," He explained quickly, before rushing back to Lucy's side. The Spirits backed off, but still remained wary of the outsider. _

"_I can help…" Lupus spoke up, unsure. "I can carry her on my back."_

_Loke instantly gathered Lucy up into his arms with great care, before slowly carrying her to Lupus. "Please," He spoke up. "Take her."_

_Lupus only nodded before morphing back into his larger form. Loke gently placed Lucy on his back with great caution, making sure not to make her injuries any worse. Aquarius made her way over to the both of them. "I'll ride with her."_

_They both nodded, and Aquarius scooped Lucy's head into her lap. Gemi and Mini hovered over and floated above Lucy's abdominal wound, before gently lowering themselves down to reach it._

"_How are we going to get her back to her guild? It was a four hour train ride just to get here, we'll never make it in time," Virgo spoke up. All of the Spirits' faces turned grim at the thought of this, not wanting to think of the possibility that their master could die._

"_We have to take her through the Celestial world," Loke spoke. Everyone looked at him, bewildered. "I know, but it's the only way." _

_Uncertain expressions made their way on to all of their faces. They all looked around at each other, before nodding. They were going to save their master – no, their closest friend – no matter what._

* * *

><p>Loke pushed Natsu onto the ground and ignored his questions, still scanning the crowd of panicked guild members for the person they were looking for. He didn't have to search long, however, as he spotted her with an exceed attached to her back flying extremely fast towards them. She dropped a fair distance away and all but skidded onto the scene, completely horrified at what she saw.<p>

"L-Lucy…" She choked out, before looking up at the Spirit in front of her.

"I'm sorry there isn't enough time to explain," He said, still focused on Lucy. "But please… Please help her!" His voice cracked as he pleaded, looking her directly in the eyes.

"R-right, of course," Wendy stuttered, taking a few seconds to compose herself before she continued. She turned to the right of her and began directing her guild mates as calmly as she could. "Levy, please go to Magnolia forest and get Porlyusica, I'll need her help."

Levy only nodded before taking off out the door, Gajeel and Pantherlily following.

Focusing her attention back to the entourage in front of her, Wendy spoke up again. "Please follow me to the infirmary, I need to work on her immediately." She then pivoted and began shoving her way through the crowd the best that she could.

Lupus let out a loud roar and bared his teeth, quickly prompting the people in front of him to move to the side and give them a path to where they needed to go.

Erza looked on at the scene completely disturbed and too shocked to move. The sight of one of her closest friends nearing death had made her want to throw up. _'Lucy… Please be alright,'_ She could only hope, as she watched her being taken into the infirmary.

Wendy ushered all of the Spirits inside the room, as it was obvious they were not going to leave her side. However, she quickly moved in front of the door when about half the guild tried to follow them in.

"I'm sorry everyone, but I can't have you in here right now," She spoke up, sorrow in her eyes.

Natsu looked beyond pissed at that point, and angrily lashed out at the girl in front of him. "No! I'm not leaving her, she could die!" He all but screamed at her, leaving Wendy shaking and on the verge of tears.

Gray growled and furiously punched Natsu in the gut before muttering something in his ear. "Don't forget Natsu, you're the reason she took the mission in the first place," His voice cracked. Natsu immediately froze as he heard those words, and slumped onto the floor in defeat. Gray diverted his eyes, clearly upset that one of his best friends was almost dead in the room next to him. He collapsed down onto the floor next to Natsu, before whispering to him.

"She's going to make it Natsu… She's just as stubborn as you are. Have a little faith," His voice wavered, before burying his head in his arms that were resting on his knees.

Natsu continued to stare at the floor, those words still ringing through his head. _'You're the reason she took the mission in the first place…' _A lone tear trailed down his cheek.

* * *

><p>Wendy was in a panic, flitting distractedly around the infirmary trying to find the tools she needed. It was so crowded in the small room that she was having trouble working efficiently. All eyes in the room were upon the unconscious blonde, who now lay on a bed. Lupus had changed back into his human-like form and had situated himself in the corner of the room, anxiously watching the girl who had risked everything for them.<p>

"U-um everyone, I need more space than what you're giving. I know you don't want to leave her side, b-but I can't work like this…" Wendy trailed off, clearly overwhelmed. All eyes turned to look at her warily.

"She's right, I'm sorry," Aries timidly spoke up.

"We need to let Wendy take care of Lady Lucy," Capricorn joined in. All eyes settled on him, as he turned his gaze to the young dragon slayer in front of him. "She's in good hands now," And with that, he walked towards the door. Reluctantly, the rest of them began to move out of the room. Lupus was the last to trail out of the room, with the exception of Aquarius who had yet to budge from her position at Lucy's side.

She looked up at Wendy with a blank face.

"It's okay, you can stay. I know she would want you here with her," Wendy whispered, before preparing to work on Lucy.

Placing her hands directly above Lucy's head, Wendy closed her eyes letting the warm sensation spread throughout her body. A familiar blue glow began to envelope her hands as it extended across her whole body. Frown lines started to etch themselves into Wendy's forehead, her eyes clamped shut in concentration.

"Wendy don't push yourself!" Carla chastised from the sidelines. "You can wait until Porlyusica gets here to continue. You'll waste all your magic energy at the rate you're going!"

Wendy opened her eyes to look at Carla. "No, I can't do that. Her wounds are too serious. I have to start now!" She closed her eyes again and pressed her hands to either side of Lucy's head. She began muttering under her breath.

"Many lacerations and contusions… Internal bleeding… Broken ribs and collar bone… Ruptured Liver… Possible severe head injury…" She murmured, before opening her eyes and removing her hands. She looked completely overwhelmed – this was by far the worst case she had ever had to deal with.

She took a deep breath before once again placing her hands on the worst spot; the back of her head. Although her abdominal wound looked a lot worse, it was unclear as to whether the head injury had caused any internal damage or harm to the brain. She had a deep gash about 10 centimeters long which was very deep.

Her hands were once again enveloped in a warm blue light, and she began to work. Aquarius could see that it was strenuous, as beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. She watched as small areas of skin knitted themselves together and began to seal the wound. It was slow, but eventually it was all 'stitched' together.

Wendy released her hands, exhausted. She had never attempted something like that before and it left her very drained of magic energy.

"Wendy please, take a break. We can wait for Porlyusica to handle the rest, don't overdo it child," Carla scolded.

"No!" Wendy protested loudly, not meaning to sound so forward. She took a deep breath before calmly continuing. "No, I can't. It's too serious, every second counts. She might not make it if I don't do something! I'll keep going until she gets here!" Wendy exclaimed, before rushing back to Lucy's side and beginning to heal her abdominal injuries.

* * *

><p>Pantherlily had long before changed into his larger form to carry both Gajeel and Levy to the outskirts of Magnolia where Porlyusica resided. Levy cried silent tears, completely distraught at the state of her friend.<p>

"Shrimp…" Gajeel tentatively began. "Bunny girl is going to be okay. She's tough as nails, something like this can't beat her," He reassured. Levy could only offer him a weak nod, before looking below.

"There," She all but whispered to Pantherlily as she pointed out the location they were seeking. He grunted in acknowledgement before descending in front of the small house. Once they hit the ground, the burst through the door of the house.

Levy immediately ran to the woman's side.

"What are you doing in my house?!" She screeched. "Get out! I hate humans!" She tried to shoo Levy away with the broom, but she clung on to the older woman's arm with a vice grip.

"Please Porlyusica!" She begged, crying freely. "It's Lucy, she's almost dead, and we need your help! I'm begging you," She cried. "You know we only come to you if we absolutely need it!"

Porlyusica looked down at the young girl clinging on to her before sighing. "What happened?" She asked rather brusquely.

"We don't know," Gajeel spoke, making his presence known to her before continuing. "She rocked up at the guild knocked out and bleeding to death. Nobody knows what happened except for her Spirits, and they ain't saying a word." He explained.

She sighed once again. "Take me to her."

Levy fell silent and a small smile made its way on to her lips. "Thank you," She whispered.

"You can thank me after I've done my work, we need to get moving right now," She explained, making her way towards the door. "I trust that she is in Wendy's care at the moment?" She questioned, her eyes sharp on Gajeel.

"Yeah, the kid's with her," He answered.

"Good. We must get going," She repeated, and walked out of her house. Gajeel and Levy followed close behind.

"Hey Lily!" Gajeel shouted at his partner, catching his attention. "Could ya' take Porlyusica back to the guild? Me and the shrimp will walk back!"

"Of course," Pantherlily answered, before swooping down and carrying the older woman away with him.

"What the–!" She screamed, before flailing around. "Put me down this instant!"

Gajeel only chuckled as he watched the retreating forms fly into the distance, her shouts echoing above. He turned to look at the girl beside him. "Come on, let's go too," He said, before beginning to walk through the forest.

Levy looked up. "Yeah," She answered softly, before running to catch up with him.

'_Stay strong, Lu… I know you can make it through this!'_

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed the chapter! <strong>

**The next one will be out in the next few days.**

**Remember, reviews motivate me to get them to you faster! *Wink, wink***


	7. Part VI

**Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter! I appreciate it a lot! **

**Please continue to vote on the poll on my profile, I want to start writing a new story – help me decide who it should be about! You as my readers are most important after all! Feel free to PM me ideas as well. Who would you like a story about?**

**Here's Part VI – I'm so sorry that it's been over a week since I've updated! I hope you enjoy it. Part VII will come ASAP!**

**Love, Indigo**

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><p><strong>Part VI<strong>

Porlyusica stepped back and wiped the sweat from her forehead. It had been a few hours since she had started to work on the girl before her, and she was finally finished. With Wendy's help, she had managed to close all of the serious wounds on the girl, and wrap them up accordingly. The small blue-haired dragon slayer had long since retired from her work, curled up in the corner of the room in deep sleep. Porlyusica couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl – it was a very strenuous job and she had never had to heal injuries so serious.

The nervous chatter outside of the room had ceased long ago, reducing to pure silence. Taking one last look at Lucy, Porlyusica turned and made her way to the door, ready to deliver the unsettling news.

* * *

><p>Makarov's face fell instantly as Porlyusica told him of Lucy's condition. He drew his arms in to his sides, thinking over her words.<p>

"You're not sure she'll wake up? Just how serious is her condition?" He half-demanded, not meaning to sound so forward. Porlyusica looked down at the man and sighed before answering.

"No, I am not sure. When her head came into contact with the rock, it caused significant damage to both her head and her brain. I was able to reverse most of it, but I could not wake her up. When she awakens is up to her. That much I am sure of," She explained.

"I see…" Makarov frowned. "I will have to inform the rest of the guild. Thank you, Porlyusica."

"I will be back in a week," Porlyusica replied. "Have Wendy keep watch over her."

With that she turned on her heel and left his office, beginning her trek back to her residence in the forest outside of Magnolia.

Makarov sighed once again. _'The brats aren't going to like this news…'_ He thought, mentally preparing himself for the announcement he had to make. _'I'll need him for assistance, he can offer his explanation…' _Makarov stroked his chin and then left in search of the lion who was keeping watch over Lucy.

* * *

><p>Gajeel was sitting at the bar, munching on his usual order of iron that Mira had provided him with. The guild was loud with nervous chatter, all speculating on what had happened to Lucy. He visibly grimaced as he thought of the condition she was in when she had returned. He felt terrible for the girl – he had really come to appreciate her over the time that he had been in the guild. She really was a breath of fresh air compared to all the other pansy loud fairy idiots that were scattered across the guild hall.<p>

Accompanying him at the bar was Levy, and Pantherlily hovered next to him. He could hear her uneven breathing and heartbeat, indicating just how worried and nervous she was for her best friend.

"Shrimp, I told you it's going to be okay. You know she's going to make it throu-" He was abruptly cut off when Makarov made his presence known on the second floor balcony. This is what they had all been waiting for.

Makarov closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, preparing himself. He spoke in loud voice, addressing the now silent crowd below him.

"I know you brats aren't going to be happy with the outcome, so I will not be dishonest to you and sugar coat her condition," He began. An audible gasp was heard among the members of Fairy Tail, preparing for the worst.

"She is in a coma, and I do not know when she will wake up and return to us," He stated. The guild instantly burst into chatter, before Makarov stopped them with his continued explanation.

"She has suffered a particularly bad injury to her head, which in turn has affected her brain. As a result of this, she has gone into a coma…"

Gajeel had tuned out at this point and scanned the room in front of him. Some people were crying, others looking like they were on the verge of tears. He frowned, refusing to show much emotion. Truthfully, he was just as devastated as his fellow guild mates. He knew someone had to stay strong though, and he was taking on that role.

On the other hand, Levy had completely broken down in tears. Lily had immediately gone to her side and she had grabbed him in a hug, crying into his fur. Gajeel patted her back in an attempt at comfort, though it didn't seem to be working at all.

Makarov looked down at his children, all heartbroken for their fellow guild mate. "Please do not cry my children, she would not want to see you all in this state…" He trailed off as his voice cracked. "I have brought with me someone to explain what had happened to her, I know you would all like to know," He stated, before stepping aside to reveal Loke to the crowd. He moved forward to explain the chilling memory to the crowd before him.

"S-She had just summoned her newest key, to introduce herself to him," He began, ready for the long explanation. "He was quite hostile, so I summoned myself in case she needed protection. We were talking when the first Vulcan came. She jumped in front of him to protect him, and ended up getting hit pretty hard by the Vulcan. I immediately went to her side but she got up on her own. Since our emotions are linked, I could feel a strange sense of determination mixed with guilt coming from her. I had no idea what to make of it until I heard her chanting under her breath,"

His voice cracked on the last word, remembering the horror that came next. He forced himself to continue; the guild deserved to know.

"It was too late, I couldn't do anything… She forced all of our gates shut,"

Almost everyone in the guild hall gasped after hearing this. Whispering immediately picked up again questioning what had happened.

"_She forced them all shut?"_

"_How could she do that? _

"_Why would she fight on her own?"_

Loke continued to speak, effectively quieting the chatter below him.

"We couldn't open our gates to help her. She fought it off with her _Fleuve d'étioles_, but then more came and she was expending too much magic energy. She wanted to prove that she was strong on her own," He took another deep breath, and continued. "They were overwhelming her, and she got badly injured. All we could do was watch on from our gates, unable to help her at all… And then…" He sucked in his breath, not ready to tell them.

"And then what?" Makarov encouraged, gently coaxing him into telling them what had happened.

Loke turned to look at Makarov and nodded, before turning back to the crowd in front of him.

"She used the ultimate magic of the stars… Urano Metria."

The remaining chatter below him ceased, and the guild fell deathly silent. Most eyes were widened in complete shock, not able to comprehend the implications of what he had just said.

"But my boy," Makarov began. "Doesn't the castor have to be at full strength when casting that spell?" He asked, though not willing to hear the answer to his own question.

"Yes…" Loke answered him, his eyes downcast. "But that's not the worst part… When it was over, we felt her magic cease and we let ourselves through our gates… Then she fell onto a rock shard that went into her head… After that we brought her back to you. I'm sorry we couldn't save her," His voice cracked and he left in a flash of golden light, returning to his own world.

The guild remained silent, with the exception of choked sobs that echoed throughout the room. Everyone looked absolutely distraught at the ordeal that she went through just to prove her strength. Master Makarov stepped back up, ready to once again address the mass in front of him.

"All we can do now is be there for her, until she returns to us. Stay strong, my children. She will come back."

He turned from the balcony and returned to his office, slumping down onto his chair.

'_Come home soon Lucy… They need you.'_

* * *

><p>Levy remained silent as the familiar beeps echoed throughout the room. Her eyes were downcast and watery as she held the hand of her best friend.<p>

"Lucy…" She whispered, her voice wavering slightly.

It had been a few days since Lucy had come through the doors of the guild all beaten and bloody. The sight broke Levy's heart. She had been coming in to see her whenever she was able to, refusing to take any jobs with her team until Lucy wakes up.

Master's words continued to replay in her head, frightening her. _'What if she doesn't wake up?'_ Levy thought, a chill running down her spine. _'No… She has to,'_

Levy sighed, bringing herself out of her thoughts. Standing from the chair that she had stationed herself in, she leaned down and hugged the blonde in front of her.

"Come home to us Lu… It's so hard without you," She whispered in the girl's ear, before releasing her and recapturing her hand. "We miss you," Her voice cracked, and she let Lucy's hand fall back to her side. Giving her one last look, Levy pivoted and began to make her way back out of the room, fresh tears marking their way down her cheeks.

* * *

><p>"Let us in!" Natsu roared at the Spirits in front of him, his fists ignited in anger.<p>

Ever since Lucy had been brought into the infirmary, her Spirits took turns guarding the door, only letting in who they deemed worthy. Aquarius was currently rostered on, though multiple Spirits had summoned themselves in order to restrain her from killing the boy in front of her.

"There's no way I'm letting you get anywhere near her," Aquarius snarled back, matching his aggression.

"Aquarius, calm down! Let me handle this," Loke chastised, pulling her away from Natsu and his team, with the addition of Lisanna.

"Fine," She grunted. "But I'm warning you pyro, if you go in there I will hunt you down and kill you myself," She muttered, before disappearing back to her world.

Natsu lowered his fists before turning his attention to Loke. "Please, you've gotta let me see her," He begged, looking extremely distressed.

"Loke, please let us see her. We're her team," Erza added.

Loke sighed, facing the group of people in front of him. "You can go in one at a time for a few minutes each," He began. The faces of the team visibly relaxed, and a sigh of relief was let out. "Except for Natsu and Lisanna… You can't see her," He spat.

"What!?" Natsu yelled, his fists once again engulfed in flames. "Why can't I?" He questioned angrily. Lisanna just stared at the ground and fidgeted with her hands. Tears began to pool in her eyes, and she quickly walked away to join the rest of the guild in the hall.

Loke's eyes followed her before landing back on the angry dragon slayer. He leaned down, as if to whisper in his ear. "I'm sure you remember what Gray said to you earlier. You're the reason she took this mission in the first place. Do you really think she would want to see you?" He asked, straightening up to look him in the eyes.

"B-But you don't understa-" Natsu stuttered, before he was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to find Erza looking at him with sorrow swirling in her orbs.

"Natsu, please don't make this harder than it is…" She said, emotion beginning to make its way onto her face.

His eyes widened, and then his face fell. "I understand…" He whispered, before running out the door and through the hall, making his way out of the guild. Erza just sighed and turned her attention to the room in front of her, anxious to see the state that her friend was currently in.

* * *

><p>"Why did you do it? We could have helped you," Gray's voice filled the room. He took in a deep breath to regain his composure, before beginning to speak again to the motionless girl in front of him.<p>

"Master was right you know, you really are the light of the guild. Since you've been in here, everyone has stopped smiling."

He took her hand in his, giving it a small squeeze.

"Erza has stopped eating cake. All she does is pace around the guild hall, waiting for you to wake up. Cana hasn't drank a drop of alcohol. Hell, even the Thunder Legion and Laxus have stuck around to keep an eye on you. We all come and visit you every day, except for you-know-who. Your spirits won't let him in at all," He continued to ramble.

"You should see him," Gray let out a hollow chuckle. "He's going crazy without you around. He hasn't even taken any jobs," He continued.

"Look at what you're doing to us Lucy…" He trailed off and closed his eyes, willing the tears to remain confined. "Just promise you'll come back to us soon…" He squeezed her hand again and placed it gently next to her, before turning and walking towards the doors he had become so familiar with.

* * *

><p>Lupus was unsure of what to expect when the golden light dissipated to reveal the small room of the infirmary. It had now been ten days since he had carried her on his back into the guild after what had happened. Porlyusica had returned to check on her progress, before leaving again and promising to return in another week.<p>

He visibly stiffened when his eyes landed on Lucy. She did not look good – tubes were sticking out of various places on her body and bandages wrapped her up everywhere, concealing the terrible wounds from sight.

He drew in a deep breath and slowly made his way to her side. Sitting down in the chair beside her, he started to speak.

"Lucy…" He began. "I can see why this guild loves you, why your Spirits love you. You're the most selfless and brave wizard I have ever met. I don't know why you took that hit for me, or why you protected me at all… I'm sorry," He continued to ramble. "Please come back soon. They all need you… and so do I," He whispered.

He rose from his chair and walked forward. His hand ghosted over hers, before he stepped back and vanished in a brilliant burst of gold.

* * *

><p>"It's been almost three weeks now Lucy," Mira's voice echoed in the small room. "We miss you more and more every day. It's hard not having you around."<p>

She reached one hand forward and brushed it through Lucy's hair as she continued to speak.

"People have been coming to see you whenever they can. It's clear that a lot of people care for you. The guild has been so quiet without you."

Her mind drifted to the events of the past two weeks. The guild had certainly lost its light. The smiles, laughter, and friendly banter had ceased completely. The hall was now filled with a deafening silence. Team Natsu had strayed from each other, trying to keep themselves occupied while Lucy continued to sleep. Levy had holed herself up in her apartment, blocking out the pain with a tonne of new books to read. She only came to the guild when Gajeel forced her to. The only jobs that were taken were those in the confines of Magnolia, nobody wanting to leave Lucy's side for very long.

"It's hard Lucy… It's like we're losing the guild too," She continued. "You really are the light of Fairy Tail."

Mira let her fingers run through Lucy's hair one more time before she removed them. Carefully leaning down, she gently kissed Lucy's forehead.

"So many of us need you Lucy… Please don't leave us,"

* * *

><p>Finally in her fourth week of being comatose, Lucy's Spirits had reluctantly allowed Natsu into the room to see Lucy. He had been so distraught that the guild was beginning to feel as if they were losing him too.<p>

"Luce…" Natsu choked out, as his eyes settled on his best friend and partner. Her wounds had improved significantly, though she had yet to wake up. Tubes continued to pump essentials into her body, and bandages still adorned her limbs, but she was beginning to look a lot healthier than she had when she was brought in.

Natsu stumbled over to the chair next to her bed, immediately lowering himself down and capturing her hand in both of his. He pressed it to his cheek, feeling the lack of warmth she usually had. He felt his tears escape their confines as they began to stream down his cheeks. He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure.

"I'm so sorry Luce, this is all my fault…" He whispered softly. "If it wasn't for me, you would have never gone on this mission and you would have never been hurt," His voice wavered. "It's been four weeks since you came back and I haven't seen you until now… I miss you Luce,"

He brought her hand down from his cheek and took it back in his two hands, his thumbs tracing the grooves of her knuckles.

"Please don't leave us Luce, you have to come back to us," His voice cracked. "I know you will… You love Fairy Tail too much to leave… It's just so hard seeing you in here," He continued. "Please… just give me a sign that you can hear me, that you'll come back to us…" He trailed off.

Natsu sat with her hand in his for a while, before letting out a disappointed sigh. He stood up, ready to place her hand back by her side when he felt the faintest squeeze. His eyes widened immediately and his eyebrows shot up.

"…Luce?"

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><p><strong>There you have it! <strong>**Keep reviewing, I tend to update faster when I have your support and opinions.**

**Also, please let me know who you would like to see in my next story! **


	8. Part VII

**Hi Everyone! **

**I felt really bad about the late update for Part VI, so I decided to publish this one early! I will be uploading something special on Valentine's day as well, so keep your eyes out for it! Just a reminder, please keep voting on the poll on my profile! It's really important - I'm starting to write a new story this weekend and would love to hear you're opinions and ideas! Please PM me or leave them in the reviews. Also, there's only 1 or 2 chapters left to this story! I can't believe it's already almost over! Let me know in a review if you would like to see an epilogue once this is done. **

**Without further ado, here's Part VII of Anguish. ****Remember to keep reviewing! **

**Love, Indigo**

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><p><strong>Part VII<strong>

An incredible warmth spread through Lucy like a wildfire.

She had been drifting through endless darkness for what seemed like days now. She could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but no matter how hard she tried to reach it, it never came any closer to her. So, she resigned to roaming aimlessly towards it, wondering if it would ever be within her grasp.

This familiar warmth, however, seemed to push her towards the light in leaps and bounds, until she was finally within reach of it.

* * *

><p>Lucy took a deep breath and tried to open her eyes, fighting the heaviness that was threatening to shut them again. Her head was spinning and she didn't like it. The blinding light of the infirmary hindered her vision, and it took her a moment to get a grip on reality. She could feel her hand enveloped in a comforting warmth, thought she couldn't figure out what it was. She became acutely aware of the ache that began to pulse through her body and the sharp pain that came from the back of her head. Why did it feel like she'd been hit by a freight train?<p>

"…Luce?"

I slowly shifted my head to the side, only to see my hand between two much tanner familiar ones. My eyes followed them and widened when they realized who they belonged to. Staring back at her was Natsu. His shaggy pink hair looked a little wilder than usual, and his eyes were wide with shock.

"Luce you're awake!" He exclaimed, looking like he had just seen a ghost.

"Natsu–" Lucy began to speak, her voice hoarse and raspy from not being used. Before she could say anything else, the doors to the infirmary burst open to reveal some familiar faces. Lucy instantly snatched her hand away at the noise and looked up at the people who had just entered.

"LUCY!" A high-pitch voiced cried, as a flash of blue whizzed through the room and crashed into Lucy's chest. Lucy giggled a bit and cleared her throat before addressing the ball of fur crying into her shoulder.

"Hey Happy, no need for tears," She soothed, rubbing a hand comfortingly on his back.

"Lucy, you're awake!" Erza exclaimed, quickly rushing to Lucy's bedside.

"Hi Erza," Lucy greeted, before scanning the room to see who else had come. Gray had joined Erza's side, looking down at her with surprised eyes. Gajeel was leaning nonchalantly against the door frame with Pantherlily hovering at his side. Levy was rushing towards her as fast as her short legs could manage. Porlyusica and Wendy were taking it up the rear, with Carla tailing not far behind.

"Oh thank goodness," Levy breathed once she reached Lucy. "You scared me half to death Lu!"

Lucy looked confused as she questioned the people in front of her. "About what? Can someone fill me in about what happened? Why does it feel like I've been hit by a freight train?"

All eyes in the room shift uncomfortably, looking at each other in silent code. Since nobody wanted to speak up, Gajeel decided he would be the one to do it.

"Bunny Girl… you got roughed up pretty bad on the mission you took with your Spirits," He said gruffly, though he was just as concerned as the rest of them.

Lucy sat up instantly and her hands flew to her mouth, ignoring the pain in the back of her head. Her memories of the incident immediately flooded into her mind – protecting Lupus, closing the gates, Urano Metria… and then it was all black. Tears sprang to her eyes as she panicked.

"Oh Mavis, are my Spirits alright?! Where are my keys? Please don't tell me something happened to them–!" She rambled. Nevertheless, her questions were answered when a blinding golden light filled the room.

The light quickly dissipated, leaving a crowd of people in its wake. Lucy opened her eyes to scan the new faces in the room.

"To answer your questions," Loke began. "We're all fine." Another small golden light manifested beside him, taking the shape of her key pouch. "And here are our keys. We kept them safe in the Spirit world until you woke up," He exclaimed, brushing past Levy to hand the pouch to her.

"Thank goodness…" She whispered. "Thank you, Loke," She acknowledged, taking her eyes off her pouch to look up at him.

Erza cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the crowd surrounding her. The room had become quite cramped, and she felt Lucy needed some privacy with her Spirits.

"Lucy we'll leave you with your Spirits for a bit. Come on Natsu, Levy, Gray, Happy," She prompted, ushering them out of the room. Natsu and Gray went to protest, but after seeing the look on her face they obliged, grumbling their way out of the room.

"See you soon Lu," Levy smiled, before turning and joining Erza to leave the room. She grabbed Gajeel's arm on her way out, pulling him along with her.

Lucy smiled and waved, before directing her attention to her Spirits in front of her.

"Thank goodness you're all alri–" Before Lucy could get any further, Aquarius had stepped up beside her and raised her hand. She brought her hand down fast, striking it across Lucy's face. A loud slap echoed around the room and Lucy immediately brought her hand up to cradle her cheek.

"What the hell was that for!?" Loke shouted, tensing up and moving to Lucy's side.

"No Loke it's okay," Lucy gently placed her hand on his arm, reassuring him. "I deserved that,"

"You idiot!" Aquarius snarled, pointing an accusing finger towards her. "We went on this job as a team, not for you to pull something ridiculous like that! Then you go and get yourself bloodied up like this! Just what the hell were you thinking?" She continued to shout.

Lucy looked down and fiddled with her hands guiltily, feeling the eyes of her Spirits boring into her.

"I-I'm sorry," She stammered. "I didn't mean for any of that to happen. I just remembered what Loke said about me getting stronger, and I realized that I needed to do it on my own. I'm always relying on you guys for everything and I want to be as strong as you all," She continued to explain, looking at all of them. "And it's fine, I'm not hurt too bad, see?" She gestured to herself.

A grave expression made its way onto all of her Spirits' faces as they looked to each other, and then back down at her.

"… You almost died, Lucy," Loke almost whispered, his eyes firmly on the ground.

Lucy felt her own eyes widen before she spoke up again. "W-what?"

Her Spirits took turns in explaining what happened to her.

"You had very serious wounds, Princess" Virgo said expressionless, though sadness was present in her eyes.

"We brought you back here for help after you had passed out, my lady," Sagittarius exclaimed.

"Miss Wendy and Porlyusica worked on your injuries for hours once we had returned. Your abdominal wounds were dealt with accordingly, but your head injury caused brain damage which was a little more tedious…" Capricorn explained to her.

Lucy's head felt like it was spinning. She knew she had been injured, but she didn't realize how badly. She felt her breath shorten and tears sprang to her eyes once again.

"You don't realize how close we were to losing you Lucy," Aquarius said sternly, though she could see the tears in the corners of her eyes. "You've been in a coma for four weeks,"

Lucy winced – Aquarius never called her by her name. Her face quickly morphed into one of horror however when she discovered just how long she'd been out. _'I thought it had only been days!' _She glanced over at the people in front of her, seeing sadness and pain etched upon their faces.

"F-Four weeks!? I-I don't know what t-to say. I'm s-so sorry everyone…" She buried her head in her hands, sobbing freely.

Aquarius sighed, and placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "You didn't need to prove anything, you know,"

Lucy looked up questioningly, prompting Aquarius to continue.

"We fight as your partners. Whether you summon us or not, that doesn't determine your own strength. We all know you're strong Blondie, you don't need to fight on your own. Hell, you just showed us that," She explained.

Lucy looked around the room. The rest of her Spirits were avidly nodding in agreement with proud smiles on their faces. She started to tear up again.

"E-Everyone…" She choked out. "Thank you,"

They all looked to each other and grinned.

"But," Aquarius' voice lowered. "If you ever pull something like that again kiddo I will kill you myself," She said, her voice deadly.

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Lucy stammered quickly.

Aquarius only nodded, before giving her shoulder a quick squeeze and disappearing in a burst of gold. Lucy wiped at her eyes with a smile on her face. The rest of her Spirits followed her lead, saying their goodbyes and returning back to their own world.

Gemini hovered forward first.

"Piri piri!" They shrilled, each nuzzling one of Lucy's cheeks with their own.

Lucy just giggled and brought her hands up to gently pat their heads. "Thanks, you two,"

They both let out another happy shrill before disappearing.

Virgo and Aries stepped forward, going to each one of her sides and grabbing a hand each.

"We're so glad you're alright Lucy," Aries exclaimed, the worry now gone from her face.

"Punishment time, Princess?" Virgo asked, the masochistic glint having returned to her eyes.

"Thank you Aries, and no not today Virgo," She answered, giving both of their hands a squeeze. "Thank you both for everything," She pulled them both in for a hug.

Aries was positively beaming at the gesture, and a small hint of a smile had formed on Virgo's lips. They released each other and both Spirits nodded their heads, before returning back to their worlds with their signature flash of light.

Capricorn, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Taurus and Cancer all said their goodbyes, consisting of hugs, witty remarks and perverted comments _(*cough* Taurus *cough*)_ before all returning home as well. Loke was the only one left in the room, sitting down in the chair beside Lucy's bed. He grabbed her hand with both of his, reminiscent to what Natsu had been doing not long ago.

"You really gave us a fright there Lucy," He said, his eyes focusing on their hands.

"I-I'm sorry Loke, I know I shouldn't have done that…" She said, guilt flooding back into her mind.

Loke must have sensed her anguish, because he quickly spoke up again.

"No Lucy it's okay, it's my fault. I didn't mean to imply you weren't strong, that's not what I meant at all. We're just glad you're okay now. We know you wouldn't do something like that again," He smiled, giving her hand a small squeeze.

Lucy smiled back, reciprocating the gesture. Loke gently placed her hand back beside her, before standing up from the chair he was situated in.

"We'll be there any time that you need us," He said, bending down to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

Lucy could have sworn her face was as red as a tomato. "Thank you Loke. I know you all are,"

He grinned at her and waved, before disappearing in his signature golden light.

She smiled, and looked down at the pouch in her hands. She gently took out her key chain, and ran a comforting thumb across each of them. She could feel the warmth and love that they radiated, and she hoped that they knew what she was feeling too.

She was brusquely interrupted when the doors to the infirmary burst open once again. The Master was rushing through the doors with the people who had been in here earlier, escaping the large crowd of people that were cut off when the doors were slammed shut.

"Well they're excited you're back," Gray laughed, making his way over to her side behind Makarov. Erza, Natsu, Happy and Levy followed him, with Gajeel and Lily guarding the door.

The Master smiled, looking at the girl in front of him who was now wide awake.

"The light of Fairy Tail has returned"

* * *

><p><strong>Finally, Lucy's awake! I know you've all been waiting for it. I hope you liked this chapter, I really liked writing it! <strong>

**Get ready for Part VIII – there'll be loads of celebrating, and lots of fluff that you're sure to enjoy! **

**If I get some reviews, it will be uploaded VERY soon... *Wink, wink***


	9. Part VIII

**Welcome back!**

**As promised, here is the next chapter. I told you it would come very soon! It's only been one day since I posted part VII. I hope you all enjoy it, I've got more to say at the bottom after you've finished reading. I've got a fair bit to say, so please bear with me!**

* * *

><p><strong>Part VIII<strong>

The conversation that followed with Makarov certainly brought tears to Lucy's eyes – she was touched hearing just how much everyone had missed her and how important they all thought she was. Nobody had ever said such kind things about her.

"This calls for a celebration!" Makarov exclaimed excitedly.

Lucy quickly brought her hands up and shook them exasperatedly. "Oh no, it's really fine Ma-!"

"Nonsense!" He yelled, cutting her off. "Of course it does my child. One of my favourite brats has been returned to us. We shall celebrate from dusk 'til dawn!"

Lucy didn't fight the Master on this, she knew she would lose if she tried. What followed was unnecessary arguing between the small crowd of people in the infirmary, and Porlyusica and Wendy returning to make sure she was well enough to attend her own party. Natsu, Erza, Happy, Gray, Levy, Gajeel and Pantherlily were then promptly shooed out of the room while he had a private conversation with Lucy.

"On a serious note, please never attempt what you did again my child," Makarov said, a grave look on his face. "It was very dangerous. We could have lost you,"

Lucy looked up at him, guilt evident in her features. "I know Master, I'm sorry. I'll never do something like that again," She promised.

A smile instantly found its way back onto the Master's face. "Good! Well, I'll let you rest up for the big party tonight. I'll see you later my child," He said, and walked away. Before he got to the door, however, he stopped in his tracks and turned back to face Lucy.

"Oh, one other thing Lucy," He began. "Would it be alright if the guild came and visited you? They've been very worried about you and missed you very much," He asked.

Lucy stifled a giggle behind her hand before answering him. "Of course, Master!"

* * *

><p>The next few hours were filled with visits from her guild mates. Makarov had restricted it to small groups at a time, so it had taken a while for the whole guild to make their round in visiting Lucy. Mirajane had cried into Lucy's shoulder for a solid twenty minutes before she was dragged out to let other people in. Cana stumbled in, already tipsy from early celebratory drinks and had offered Lucy drinks on her for the party later on that evening. Juvia had muttered something about being glad her love rival was okay, before running back to Gray's side. Laxus had even visited, giving her a friendly ruffle of her hair with the Thunder Legion all exchanging greetings too. Even townspeople from Magnolia had come and visited the familiar blonde, showing just how many people she had affected in her relatively short time being a part of Fairy Tail.<p>

By the time everyone had come through and seen Lucy, she was exhausted. She didn't know if she would have enough energy left for her own party later on. She had just flopped back down onto the bed when she heard a soft knock on the infirmary door.

Lucy sat up and sighed, before calling out to the visitor. "Come in!"

Lucy's heart almost stopped when she saw who had entered the room.

"Hi Lucy!"

"L-Lisanna?"

The girl in question just waved, before plopping down on the chair next to Lucy's bed. "Sorry it took me so long to come and see you, I got caught up in Master's plans for your party," She explained sheepishly, one hand rubbing the back of her head.

"N-No it's fine!" Lucy said hurriedly, pushing down the feelings that began to pull at her heart.

Lisanna smiled, letting her hands drop down into her lap. "How are you feeling?"

Lucy peered up at the girl next to her. "My head's a little sore, but other than that I'm fine," She explained. Her eyebrows drew together, before tentatively speaking up in a small voice. "Why did you really come?"

The smile on Lisanna's face disappeared, and she frowned. "That easy to tell, huh?"

Lucy said nothing. She sighed, before continuing her explanation.

"I came to apologise to you Lucy," Lisanna said suddenly.

Lucy looked completely baffled. "A-Apologise? Wha-"

"Just hear me out," Lisanna said, prompting a nod from Lucy. "I came to apologise to you because I know that you went on this mission because of Natsu and I… I had a talk with Mira and she explained everything to me. I just want you to know Lucy, that I don't like Natsu… Maybe I did when I was younger, but those two years in Edolas encouraged me to move on, and I did. It's a big misunderstanding really,"

Lucy's eyes widened, and Lisanna continued.

"When you came into the guild that morning, I was only thanking Natsu for helping Mira and I out on a mission that we had just finished, nothing more. I'm so, so sorry I didn't get the chance to explain it to you earlier… I had no idea you interpreted it like that, and now you're hurt because of it… I'm so sorry Lucy," She explained, wiping the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Lucy's jaw slackened as her head began to spin.

'_She doesn't like Natsu?' _

'_Moved on?'_

'_Misunderstanding?'_

Her eyes drifted back up to Lisanna's face. She was looking back down at her. Lucy could feel the tears pooling in her eyes and starting to escape their confines, but before she could do anything about it Lisanna had pulled her in for a hug.

"I'm so sorry Lucy, I understand if you hate me for-"

"Thank you, Lisanna…" Lucy trailed off. "Please don't apologise, it was my fault for making a silly assumption. It's not your fault I got hurt, it's mine. Please don't cry," She calmed, hugging the girl closer to her. She was so shocked at the revelation. The two girls had somewhat drifted apart over the past few months, with Lucy trying to distance herself as much as possible from being hurt. She was so happy that they could go back to normal; she liked Lisanna a lot.

Lisanna nodded into her shoulder and they released each other. Both looking at each other's faces, they began to laugh.

"We're silly, huh?" Lucy asked between giggles.

"You've got that right," Lisanna chuckled. "Come on, let's get you out of bed and back home. We've got to start getting ready for later, right?"

Lucy nodded enthusiastically, excited to finally get out of this damned infirmary. Lisanna helped her out of bed, steadying her as she stood. She hadn't walked in four weeks, so they clung to each other as they made their way to the doors.

"For the record… he really does like you," Lisanna winked.

"EH!?" Lucy shrieked, drawing the attention of everyone in the guild as they walked through the hall. Lisanna giggled behind her free hand, laughing at the blush that had spread across Lucy's face.

"Hey Lucy, let's invite all of the girls back to yours so we can all get ready together!" Lisanna suggested, her face positively beaming. Lucy recovered from being flustered and shifted her head to look at the girl next to her.

"Yeah!"

* * *

><p>After what felt like hours, they were finally ready to head back to the guild hall for Lucy's 'welcome back' party. A group of girls were crammed into Lucy's apartment, adding last minute touch ups to their make-up and hair before they left.<p>

"Wow Lu, you look incredible!" Levy exclaimed, looking at the blonde in front of her.

Lucy was wearing a short strapless sky-blue dress, with a white bow adorning the middle of the sweetheart neckline. The dress hugged her figure, and was paired with a thin cuff on her right bicep as well as a key necklace around her neck. Her hair was pulled up, save for her bangs and a few tendrils framing her face. Her height was slightly boosted by the white and blue heels that adorned her feet. To say she looked beautiful was definitely an understatement.

"Thank you Levy!" She answered. "You look amazing too!"

The small girl blushed. She was wearing her signature colour, orange. The short dress was long sleeved, with maroon lining adorning the sleeves, hem, neckline and waist. It flowed freely, suiting Levy perfectly. A yellow bandana with a small pink rose was present in her hair, and her pumps gave her much-needed height. "Aw, thanks Lu!"

All of the girls in the room looked beautiful in their short dresses and heels. Mira rocked a tight black halter-neck while her sister Lisanna wore a baby pink a-line dress. Erza wore a rather scandalous white backless wrap dress with a daring neckline, paired with fishnets. Cana and Juvia both wore strapless dresses with a frilly neckline, Juvia's being cream-coloured and Cana's being Navy. Juvia paired hers with a matching hat, while Cana had a shawl draped over her shoulders. Wendy looked adorable in her pink three-quarter length dress with a white frilly hem, paired with matching white gloves and white ribbons holding up her twin tails.

"We all look great, don't we?" Mira beamed, looking at everyone in the room. A collective agreement was heard among the room, interrupted when Erza spoke.

"Come on everyone, let's go or we'll be late," She instructed, everyone quickly moving to follow her. Nobody wanted to oppose Erza.

Lucy quickly went to her bedside and grabbed her key pouch, putting it in her purse. After everyone had walked outside she turned out the lights and locked up, before joining her friends and making their way to the guild hall.

* * *

><p>The guild hall was louder than ever, if that was even possible. Lucy looked around the guild hall in awe; they had really outdone themselves this time. The support beams around the hall were wrapped with little white fairy lights, illuminating the dark hall. The tables had been moved towards the edges of the hall to create a makeshift dancefloor. Each table was coated with white linen, colourful bunches of flowers acting as centrepieces. Streamers of all colours were strung up around the guild adorned with small lanterns. Bickslow was manning the music booth on the stage connected to the speaker lacrimas throughout the hall, filling it with music. It truly was a sight to behold.<p>

Her friends had bid their goodbyes, scattering amongst the crowd of people. Lucy was greeted by many familiar faces, complimenting her on how she looked. She was positively beaming. After escaping the crowd of people, she made her way up to the second floor balcony. She opened up her purse and carefully took out her keys, fondly stroking them before whispering to them.

"Come on everyone, come on out!"

With a brilliant flash of gold, the majority of Lucy's Spirits summoned themselves. They were all dressed in formal celestial clothing, obviously provided to them by Virgo.

"You all look absolutely wonderful," She complimented, gazing at the Spirits in front of her.

"As do you Miss Lucy!" Taurus said eagerly, gawking at Lucy with hearts in his eyes.

The rest of her Spirits greeted her with fond smiles, nodding and agreeing with Taurus.

"Go and enjoy yourselves," She said. "This party is as much yours as it is mine!"

They all nodded, some coming forward and thanking her before they left. Taurus went on to admire the many other beautiful girls among the guild hall. Sagittarius and Cancer left to go to the bar, Aquarius and Scorpio trailing not far behind them. Aries and Virgo, along with Capricorn and Gemini went on to socialise with a few of Lucy's guild mates who they had become familiar with. Lyra had rushed eagerly to the music booth, excited to play a few of her own songs. Plue stumbled over to the Exceeds, while Horologium and Crux were in animatedly chatting away to Wendy.

Lucy lent against the railing, scanning the guild with an affectionate smile. Suddenly she was interrupted, whipping her head around to see another bright light manifesting beside her. The light dissipated to reveal Lupus, also dressed in a more formal version than his usual clothing.

"Lupus!" Lucy exclaimed, surprised to see him.

"Hi Lucy…" He greeted, nervously. "Mind if we talk?"

"Sure," She replied. "What's up?"

He drew in a deep breath and looked her straight in the eyes. "Why did you protect me up on Mt Hakobe?"

"Well why wouldn't I?" Lucy replied, confusion written all over her face.

"I'm just a Spirit," He began. "Why would you, a human, risk yourself for me?" He asked again.

"Because you're no different than I am,"

He felt his eyes widen considerably. He had never heard anybody say something like that before. He looked back up at her, and she continued explaining.

"I'm a celestial wizard Lupus; Spirits are like family. I know that you feel pain, sadness, anger. You also feel happiness, joy and love. You're all just like us. It doesn't matter if I'm contracted to them or not, I will never hesitate to protect them with my life," She explained.

His jaw slackened at that. _'She's so different… Leo was right'_

"I know I've already told you this before Lupus, but you don't have to make a contract with me if you don't want to. I'm more than happy to protect your key…"

Before he knew what he was doing, he had walked forward and grasped her in a hug.

"Lupus…" She whispered, eyes wide.

"I want to," He began. "I want to form a contract with you Lucy. You're the only celestial wizard I've ever met who's willing to lay down their life for their Spirits… and I'll be damned if I let that get away from me so please Lucy, let me form a contract with you," He begged, pulling back from their hug to look her in the eyes.

Lucy knew her eyes had filled to the brim with tears. "O-Of course Lupus!" She replied, a smile on her face. "When are you available?"

He looked at her wide-eyed, disbelieving that she had agreed after all the crap he had pulled up on Mt Hakobe. "I'll be there any time you need me," He promised.

She smiled fondly and nodded. "Well that's that, thank you Lupus," She said. She was about to tell him to go have fun when he spoke up.

"Promise me one thing Lucy," He said quickly.

She raised her eyebrows. "Of course,"

"Don't ever do what you did on Mt Hakobe again… I don't want to lose the only Master I've ever accepted in my entire existence," He said quietly.

Lucy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and spoke when he shifted his head to look at her. "Don't worry," She began. "I'll never do something like that ever again," She promised, squeezing his shoulder.

He opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted.

"Hello you two,"

Lucy and Lupus whipped their heads around to see a familiar face approaching them.

"Mr Himanshu!" They both exclaimed at the same time, prompting a gentle laugh from the old man.

"Lucy, your Master informed me of your condition when you did not return from your mission. I'm so glad to see that you're okay. I see the two of you have formed a bond, yes?" He questioned, gesturing to both of them. Lucy and Lupus looked at each other, before turning back to Mr. Himanshu and nodding.

"I told you Lucy, you were the right person for him. Thank you," He said to Lucy. She smiled and turned to look up at Lupus, beaming.

"And Lupus," He continued. "I trust you have faith in your new Master?"

Lupus nodded. "I promise to protect her with my life," He swore, putting an arm around her shoulders.

Himanshu gazed at the newly-formed team in front of him. He knew his choice in Lucy was a good one, and he was so glad that his old friend had finally found a Master he was happy with. It warmed his heart.

"Well, I must be off. It's a long trip back to Chandra. I'm glad to leave you in good hands Lupus. Farewell, to the both of you," He bid goodbye.

"Thank you," Lupus acknowledged.

"Yes, thank you Mr. Himanshu!" Lucy added, walking forward to hug the man. They released each other, and Himanshu turned to the stairs, making his way down and out of the guild hall. Lucy and Lupus leant against the railing, looking over the guild hall below them.

"They're a wild bunch, aren't they?" Lupus asked, an eyebrow raised.

Lucy giggled. "The wildest!" She turned to face him, "Why don't you go have fun?"

He looked at her, eyebrow still raised. He let out a short laugh before answering her. "I think it'll take me a while to warm up to them,"

Lucy laughed. "You've got that right," She agreed. "It's alright, you can go back home,"

He nodded and grabbed her hand, squeezing it slightly. "I'll see you soon Lucy," He promised, before disappearing in a flash of golden light.

She looked down at her hand, holding his key close to her heart.

"Looking forward to working with you, Lupus!"

* * *

><p><strong>There you have it folks! I really loved writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed reading it! The interaction between Lucy and Lupus is great to write. I'm so glad I got to squeeze in that scene with Lisanna, I really hate writing her as the 'bad guy' – she's one of my favourite characters!<strong>

**I know I promised lots of fluff in this chapter but I decided to slot it in to the next one! Don't fret too much, a certain pink-haired dragon slayer will definitely be appearing in the next chapter.**

**Also, all outfits from the party are reminiscent of those that they are wearing at the start of the new anime opening, **_**BREAK OUT**_**, so if you want to see what they look like just watch it! **

**Only one more chapter left! However, I will be adding an epilogue shortly after so stay tuned for that!**

**As usual, please keep reviewing! I've also got a new poll running on my profile for part of my Valentine's Day surprise, so if you could vote on that it would be greatly appreciated!**

**The next chapter will also be out very soon – I can't keep you waiting for the final chapter, right? **

**Love, Indigo**


	10. Part IX

**Hello everyone! **

**I am so, so, so sorry that this is so late! Please forgive me! **

**I'd like to apologize in advance for the slight OOC-ness in the last part of this chapter. Nevertheless, I hope you still enjoy it.  
>Finally, this marks the official end to <em>Anguish!<em> I hope that you all enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it for you, it was a lot of fun to do! It was my first story though, so feedback would be appreciated. ****I really hope you enjoy the final installment of_ Anguish_, Part IX. Please keep an eye out for the epilogue that will be posted shortly!**

**I hope that you'll check out my new stories in the future! Please feel free to PM me or leave a review here with ideas or suggestions of things you would like to see in my next story! I've been thinking of centering it on the Dragon Slayers, but I'm not sure yet. What do you think?**

**Anyway, I bid you adieu for now! **

**Love, Indigo**

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><p><strong>Part IX<strong>

All of Magnolia had joined in with the celebration, ecstatic that Fairy Tail's resident celestial mage had awoken from her party had been going on for hours without slowing down, now approaching the early hours of the morning. However, the yelling had died down considerably as Lyra's voice echoed throughout the guild hall.

"_I can see you there, right by my side as always.  
>You've never left or let me down, my friend,"<em>

A smile spread across Lucy's face as she watched her guild mates. Natsu and Gray had stopped their fight at the insistence of Erza, prompting heavy nods from the former. Gajeel was scoffing as he watched on, Levy giving him a disapproving frown. Happy and Carla had picked up the now-asleep Wendy and Romeo and taken them home. Lisanna sent her a small smile from the other side of the room before returning to dancing with Bickslow, who had retired from working up on stage. Mira continued to man the bar, watching fondly as Elfman and Evergreen danced along to the music.

Finishing off her drink, Lucy made her way to the doors and plopped down on the guild's doorsteps. She drew in a deep breath, the fresh air filling her lungs. Slowly she bent down, fingering the clasps of her heels and flinging them off. Her feet were killing her; she had been dancing on them for hours and had finally had enough.

"Ah…" She sighed happily, as she rubbed her feet.

She hadn't noticed the doors being opened, until a voice suddenly penetrated the comforting silence.

"Out here alone at your own party?"

"_I can feel you there, close to my heart as always.  
>Your soul and mine share a bond made of love,"<em>

Lucy's breath hitched, instantly recognizing the voice. She whipped her head around to see Natsu, his signature playful grin present on his face. Lucy didn't say anything as he came towards her, dropping to sit next to her. He had ditched his usual outfit for something more formal, clearly at Master's insistence. He had paired long black pants with a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up his arms. As usual, his scarf was wrapped around his neck.

"I'm really glad you're okay Luce!"

Lucy couldn't help but blush, shifting away from him a little. Lisanna's words from earlier on that day continued to play over in her head.

"You know, I spoke to Mira a few weeks ago,"

"_So as the skies turn grey,  
>and the clouds gather above,"<em>

Even Natsu could see Lucy visibly freeze at his voice. Her eyes quickly averted to the ground, the colour instantly draining from her face. They both knew of the implications of such words, and Lucy was beyond embarrassed. Since she had yet to say anything, he continued to speak.

"She told me about the conversation you two had a few months ago-"

"-Natsu just save it. Spare me the embarrassment and forget about what she told you, okay?" She cut him off, her voice cracking slightly.

Natsu watched as tears began to pool in the corners of her eyes. She angrily wiped at them before standing up and turning to leave. She broke out into a run until a hand firmly clasped around her wrist, whipping her back around to face the culprit. Lucy looked him directly in the eyes as tears finally broke from their confines and rolled down her cheeks.

"Please…" She whispered, still tugging her arm in an attempt to leave.

Natsu just continued to stare at her. Lucy turned around again as she cried, trying once again to free her wrist from its restraint. He pulled her arm again, but this time she fell flush against his chest. She felt as his arms wrapped securely around her shaking frame, his unnatural warmth quickly spreading to her.

"_Trying to fight back your tears,  
>feeling so lost and alone,"<em>

"Luce," He began, quietening her sobs. "I don't know exactly what she spoke to you about, but she had that conversation with me as well. Don't feel embarrassed, okay? It's just me," He continued.

Lucy's breathing evened out, curious as to what he had to say. He took this as a cue to continue.

"She asked me about my feelings for you… and I told her. She also told me what she thinks about your feelings towards me…" He trailed off, unsure of whether to continue.

She could once again feel her breathing quicken, and she looked up at Natsu to get an indication of what he was feeling. His eyes were still locked on hers, but his face remained devoid of emotion.

"Please stop…" She whispered.

"W-What?"

"You like Lisanna," She murmured, barely audible. Their conversation from earlier that day continued to run through her head. Maybe Lisanna didn't like him, but he probably still likes her…

'_Lisanna?'_ He thought, extremely confused. Mira's words from a few weeks ago surfaced in his memory, remembering her words clearly.

'_When Lucy came to the guild this morning, what do you think she saw?'_

Images of him hugging Lisanna, Lucy's face when she saw and how angry she was at him began to pour into his mind, reminding him of what had happened. He looked back down at the girl in his arms. Her eyes were watery again and she was trying to escape his embrace, clearly upset.

"I don't know what Lisanna's got to do with this Luce, she doesn't change the way I feel about you,"

"_I am the star that burns for you,  
>shining through the night,"<em>

Natsu could hear her fast heartbeat and the way her breathing had become uneven. She slightly relaxed in his arms, though the blush creeping up her neck indicated the way she was feeling about her position. He decided to take things into his own hands.

Lucy looked up as she felt one of his arms release her back, his hand reaching down to her face. Her breath hitched as it made contact, his thumb gently brushing across her cheek as his hand cupped the left side of her face. She leaned into his hand as if by instinct. She peered up at him and looked into his eyes, finding them already gazing into hers. He smiled, different from his signature cheeky grin, and began to lean in towards her. Lucy's brain finally caught on and began to realise what was happening. _'Oh my Mavis…' _She thought, as her body took control of her, mimicking his movements as her eyes began to close.

Their lips had just about made contact when a loud crash sounded from beside them. Both of them released each other and jumped away, completely startled at the interruption.

"Nice one, Mira!"

"Yeah good going, so much for 'spying,'"

"Shhh! Maybe they didn't hear us,"

A couple of hushed voices sounded from the source of the crash. The dust settled rather quickly to reveal the doors to the guild wide open, and a pile of people sprawled across the ground. All of them looked up and Natsu and Lucy, sheepish looks crossing their faces.

"_Just follow me, I will guide you home,"_

"Juvia thinks they definitely heard us," Juvia whispered, loud enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear.

"Yeah, no kidding," Gray muttered sarcastically while rolling his eyes.

Lucy quickly shook herself out of her stupor, before marching up to them with her hands on her hips. There on the ground lay Mira, Levy, Gray, Juvia, Erza and Happy.

"Just what do you all think you were doing?" She asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

"We're sorry Lu," Levy began, unable to meet her eyes. "We heard you crying and we wanted to make sure you were okay… but we saw what was going on and didn't want to interrupt the moment," She explained.

"_And if you're feeling lost at sea, listen for my song,"_

Lucy could feel the blush returning as Levy continued her explanation.

"But Mira got a little too excited and tried to push her way to the front of the group, and we all fell through the door,"

The small group had all diverted their eyes towards Mira, who lying on the ground. They could practically see the hearts in her eyes as she mumbled something about 'pink-haired brown-eyed babies'.

Lucy shut her eyes and drew in a deep breath, before opening them. She glared at them and began to walk forward.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" She yelled, her whip appearing from what seemed like nowhere as she cracked it on the ground.

"Everybody, run!" Levy squealed, as she got up and bolted back into the guild hall. Everyone quickly followed her lead, screaming and shouting as Lucy angrily chased after them.

"_Calling you back… to the shore"_

* * *

><p>Lucy had finally given up on her chase. She had been running after them for about an hour now, and she was completely exhausted. The sky outside had begun to lighten slightly, indicating that it was soon time for the sun to begin rising. She wandered through the guild hall, looking around for her Spirits. She had to make sure they went home too, after all.<p>

Finally hearing a familiar voice, she headed towards the bar. Scorpio and Aquarius were wrapped in a tight embrace. Their cheeks were tinged pink, though Lucy couldn't tell if it was a blush or from the alcohol they had consumed.

"B-Blondie," Aquarius stuttered, squinting her eyes in an attempt to focus on the girl in front of her.

"Hello you two," Lucy giggled.

Aquarius didn't say anything, until a sly smile slowly crept onto her face.

"I heard about the incident outside, care to share hmmm?" She questioned, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Okay time for you two to go home," She said quickly, her face heating up. She pulled out the two golden keys and forced their gates shut. Both of them waved, though Aquarius' was rather sarcastic. Lucy sighed and put their keys back, her attention back on locating the rest of her Spirits.

She spotted Loke across the hall, flirting with some of the female mages of the guild. She decided to leave him until last, not wanting to deal with that just yet.

"Miss Lucy!"

Lucy whipped her head around to the source of the voice. Capricorn was walking towards her, dragging what looked like a few people behind him.

"I thought you would like some help rounding us all up," He stated, unceremoniously dumping the people on the ground beside him. Cancer, Sagittarius and Taurus were all unconscious, presumably from the copious amounts of alcohol they had consumed. Lucy's eyes widened. She wasn't surprised in the least about Taurus, but for Cancer and Sagittarius to have passed out shocked her greatly.

"Oh Mavis," Lucy muttered, pulling out three keys. She quickly sent them back to the Celestial Spirit world, and turned back to address Capricorn. "Thank you, Capricorn," She said.

He nodded and then bowed, disappearing in a golden light.

For the umpteenth time that night Lucy sighed, and resumed her search for the remainder of her Spirits. The next half an hour consisted of her wandering around the guild hall, sending home a sleeping Crux, a hyperactive Horologium, a tired Lyra, a giggling Gemi and Mini, and dancing Plue.

She slumped against the wall, exhausted. The sun was now peeking from over the mountains, and she hadn't been able to go home and sleep yet.

"Princeeeeesssss"

"Miss Lucy!"

Lucy looked up to see her familiar pink-haired Spirits stumbling over to her.

"Aries, Virgo!" She greeted, before scrutinizing the girls in front of her. "Are you two alright?"

The two girls just looked at each other and giggled, before turning back to face Lucy. They both staggered to either side of her, plopping down onto the ground and clinging on to Lucy's arms.

"I want punishment Princesssssss-," Virgo sing-songed, an uncharacteristic smile present on her face.

"You're the best master I've ever had," Aries mumbled, closing her eyes and resting her head on Lucy's shoulder, not stuttering or nervous in the slightest.

"Okay I think you two have had a little too much to drink," Lucy said, completely shocked at how social the two girls were being with her. "Geez, I didn't even know that you guys could get drunk," She muttered under her breath.

"We don't want to go home," They chorused at the same time. They both had shifted their heads to look at Lucy, and looked very upset at what she had said.

"Alright I'll tell you what," Lucy began. "If you two go home now and sleep it off, we'll all go on a mission together later, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan, Miss Lucy!" Aries said, positively beaming.

"You've got yourself a deal, Princess," Virgo said, her small smile back on her face.

Both of them shakily stood up in front of Lucy, and began to fizzle out in a golden light.

"Goodbye, Princess!"

"See you soon!"

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and got up again. _'Geez, now I've got to deal with Loke,'_ she thought to herself, as she trudged in his direction. He soon came into sight, leaning up against a wall with a group of girls surrounding him. Lucy grimaced, and begrudgingly walking up to him.

"Loke, come on time to leave," She said, a hand on her hip as she waited impatiently.

He didn't even glance in her direction, however, either unable to hear her or choosing to ignore her in favour of his 'fangirls'.

"I don't even want to deal with this crap," She muttered bitterly, pulling out a silver key.

"Lupus!" She exclaimed, and a golden light appeared next to her. It quickly faded away, and Lupus stood in his human form, looking at her confusedly.

"What can I do for you, Lucy?" He asked, unsure of why he was summoned.

"Sorry to do this to you, but could you grab him and take him home?" She asked, gesturing to the very tipsy Lion Spirit in front of her. Lupus looked to what she was pointing at, and an amused grin made its way onto his face.

"You've got it," He said, before pushing through the group of girls and grabbing Loke's ear. "Come on lion cub, time to go home," He smirked.

"Ow, hey-!" Loke yelled, as they both started to fade in a golden light, Lupus saluting her with his free hand. She giggled as they disappeared back to their world, and listened to the disappointed groans of the girls in front of her.

"Sorry ladies," She said, before walking back to the doors of the guild. Now that she had finally dealt with her Spirits, she could head home to her warm and comfortable bed and sleep off her exhaustion.

* * *

><p>She had almost reached her apartment as she wandered through the streets of Magnolia. It was too early in the morning for the regulars on the boats to scold her for walking on the edge. The events of the evening played through her head, her face growing hot as she remembered what had almost happened with Natsu.<p>

'_I can't believe that almost happened,'_ she thought, still unable to comprehend the situation. She wasn't at all surprised at this point about the interruption though; it was Fairy Tail after all. She had grown used to the guilds wacky antics. _'He was probably drunk…'_

Her absent-minded thoughts had prevented her from hearing the fast-approaching footsteps until it was too late. Suddenly a force connected with her, pulling her back by the waist and into large arms. She was helplessly lifted off the ground as she flailed around.

"Mmmph!" She attempted to scream, but her mouth was quickly covered by large hand. She swung her legs around wildly attempting to make some sort of contact with her assailant. Unexpectedly, the hands let go and she heard a groan. Hastily pulling her whip from her side, she stood poised ready to attack, but stopped as she noticed the familiar person on the ground.

Natsu lay in fetal position, his hands protectively around his injured shin.

"Damn it Luce, that hurt," He moaned, his eyes still clamped shut in pain. The sight of the 'unstoppable' Natsu Dragneel rolling around in pain struck her as hilarious, and she couldn't stop the laughter that began to bubble up inside of her.

"Oh Mavis… I'm sorry Natsu…Oh my…" She managed to stammer out in between her fits of giggles. She was practically doubled over from laughing so hard, tears of mirth leaking from her eyes. For the first time in a while, it felt like they were back to normal, laughing like nothing had ever happened.

"Come on, let's get you fixed up," Lucy said while holding her hand out to him, her other one wiping her eyes. He stilled and peered up at her, before taking her hand gratefully and hoisting himself up. Once he was standing she grabbed his arm around her shoulders and supported him as they made their way back to Lucy's apartment.

"Gee, you still have one hell of a Lucy Kick," He murmured, a sheepish smile on his face. Lucy giggled in response, her eyes ahead of her as her apartment came into view. She helped him up to the door and she pulled out her keys and unlocked it, letting the both of them inside before closing the door once again.

She lugged him up the stairs and set him down on the couch as he nursed his leg, the patch of blueish-purple already beginning to show up. She wandered over to her freezer and pulled out a packet of frozen peas, tossing it at the boy on her couch.

"Sorry about that Natsu," She said, setting herself down on the floor beside him. "I didn't know it was you. You scared the living daylights out of me," She admitted.

"Ah it's no biggie," Natsu said, taking the peas and pressing them gently to his shin. He hissed as it made contact, but sighed once the relief began to take over.

Silence quickly befell the room, neither one of them knowing what to say to the other. The events of the night had been… wild, to say the least. Lucy couldn't bear the silence any longer, and decided to speak up.

"You know Natsu… about earlier- mmmph!" She began, only to be quickly cut off. Natsu had discarded the bag of peas and taken her head in his hands, his lips crashing roughly into hers. Her eyes widened immediately. _'He's… kissing me?'_ She thought, dumbfounded. Before she could respond, however, he released her.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time…" Natsu admitted, looking at her with a look in his eyes she just couldn't place. Lucy said nothing, still in a daze. He felt dejected, and cast his eyes to the ground. "I'm sorry Luce, I didn't mean to-" He was cut off this time. Lucy had snapped out of her daze and practically thrown herself at him, kissing him with just as much intensity as he had shown her. He closed his eyes and melded into the kiss, yearning for more. It was a fleeting thought though, as the warmth of her lips quickly left his.

"You idiot," She murmured, a blush still present on her cheeks. A grin made its way onto his face, and he pulled her up to sit on the couch with him. He took her hands in his, and looked her directly in the eyes before beginning to speak.

"I'm sorry Lucy… all of this happened because of me-"

"It's not your fault Natsu, really," She reassured, squeezing his hands. "It was just a misunderstanding!"

"But that misunderstanding caused you to get hurt!" He raised his voice, not intending to sound so forward. Lucy was rendered silent, and he continued. "I'm sorry Luce… I thought you weren't coming back when you were in that coma," His voice cracked slightly, and Lucy could see the tears in the corners of his eyes.

She was speechless; she had never seen Natsu cry before.

"A-And it was my fault. I'm so sorry," He lowered his head, shielding his face from view. Lucy untangled her hands from his and leaned forward, capturing him in a hug.

"Natsu…" She soothed. His eyes widened significantly. "It's okay. I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere. And it really isn't your fault…" She said, rubbing his back comfortingly. His hands snaked their way to her waist, reciprocating her action. They remained there for what seemed like hours, entangled in each other's embrace.

Neither could hardly believe that this was happening; they had both dreamed of this moment for a long time and it was finally a reality. Natsu's voice finally broke the silence.

"Hey Luce?"

"Mmm?" She answered.

There was a long silence before he responded again. "How about tomorrow we take a job together? Just the two of us?"

A big smile made its way onto Lucy's lips as she replied, leaning further into Natsu's embrace.

"Nothing would make me happier,"

She felt him hum in content before he relaxed down onto the couch. The sun started to peek through Lucy's windows, casting a soft light throughout the room. Lucy's mind was still running like crazy, the thoughts in her head preventing her from sleep. She couldn't believe what had happened. After months and months of her yearning, it was finally a reality.

"Hey Luce?" Natsu mumbled again.

"What is it, Natsu?" She answered, sleep creeping back into her voice.

His lips curved up in a lazy smile. "… Love you,"

Lucy's eyes widened as she heard his breathing even out, indicating he was asleep. She felt her face heat up, before a smile matching his made its way onto her face. After all this time, her anguish was finally over. She let her body give way to sleep as she shut her eyes, a content smile still on her face.

"I love you too, idiot."

* * *

><p><strong>And there you have it! <strong>

**Once again, I'm sorry for the OOC-ness! Although I hate to admit it, I really had no idea how to end this story. I just kind of rolled with it. **  
><strong>Thank you for all of you who stuck with me through the story, I appreciate it so much! You have all been very kind and supportive!<strong>  
><strong>Don't forget to stick around for the epilogue! (I actually have it planned out this time, he he)<strong>

**Let me know what you would all like to see next.**

**Love, Indigo**


	11. Part X: Epilogue

**Hello again! **

**Well, Anguish is now officially over! It's been a pleasure to write this and receive all of your feedback, and I hope it continues its success in the future. I couldn't have done this without all of you! You've been a fantastic audience, and I can't wait to begin writing a new story for all of you. **

**I hope that you enjoy the final installment, Part X of Anguish.**

**Love, Indigo**

* * *

><p><strong>Part X: Epilogue<strong>

"Loke, Lupus, I need your help!" Lucy shouted as she held out two of her golden keys, skidding around the corner to face another one of the monstrous beasts.

As she promised Natsu a week ago, the two of them took a job together and had set out towards a remote town on a two-day journey. On Natsu's insistence, the two of them had walked instead of catching a train. Arriving in the small town just this morning, they had set out to do their job immediately. However, neither of them anticipated the difficulty that they were currently facing, and had split up to take out the remaining beasts ravaging the town.

Golden lights manifested in front of Lucy to reveal the Spirits she called upon, both in a fighting stance eager for action.

"Okay Lupus I know this is our first time working together but do you think you're ready for this?" Lucy asked, her eyes still trained on the beast knocking over the building in front of her.

Lupus just looked back at her with a cocky smirk. "I think you'll be surprised Lucy,"

Lucy locked eyes with him momentarily. He flashed her a cheeky grin before turning back around to assess the situation in front of him. The beast had now turned its attention to the group in front of it. Lucy's nimble hands swiftly pulled out her _Fleuve d'étioles_, cracking it on the ground. The sound seemed to startle the beast as it narrowed its eyes, ready to attack.

"Alright, let's go!" Lucy shouted, ready to charge in towards the beast. Lupus and Loke shared a brief look and grinned. Loke's fists began to glow a brilliant gold, while Lupus bared his claws and elongated fangs before morphing into his much larger wolf form. Without needing any further prompting, the two of them leapt straight into battle, leaving Lucy behind in their dust.

'_Well I can't let them have all the fun,'_ Lucy thought, cracking a small smile. With that, she leant down and burst into a sprint, following the path that her Spirits had just taken before her. Spotting an opening to its left side, she readied her whip and got in close. Lucy's arm shot out and whipped the beast's side with as much force as she could muster, leaving a large gash from the pointed end of the whip.

"Nice shot Princess!" Loke shouted from the other side of it, steadying himself for another Regulus Impact. Lucy looked towards him and giggled. He grinned back and then turned his attention back to the beast in front of him.

"Yeah, no kidding," Lupus added. Lucy didn't see him around her, only managing to spot him once she heard another one of his growls. She looked above her. Lupus had sunk his teeth into its neck, clamping down and refusing to let go. She watched as it attempted to fling him off, but Lupus was stubborn and continued to hang on. After a few more moments of struggle Lupus had finally ripped his head away, taking a large chunk of flesh with him.

Swiftly he dropped down next to her, discarding the flesh with a shake of his head. He only looked forwards as Lucy continued to stare, completely impressed with his skill.

"Told ya," was all he muttered, a sly smile tugging at his lips. Lucy was lost for words, still staring at him like he had grown a second head. She stopped, however, when Loke dropped in from above them and landed beside her, effectively snapping her out of her stupor.

"These individual attacks aren't doing enough," Loke exclaimed, his eyes not leaving the beast. "If we want to take this thing down, we're going to have to do this together,"

"I agree," Lupus stated, stepping up beside Loke. "It's the only way we can do this,"

Both boys turned back to face Lucy, waiting for what she had to say. Lucy just smiled and walked forward slightly to stand between them. She placed a hand on both of their shoulders and squeezed slightly, reassuring them both.

"Let's do this," She breathed, barely audible. Grins snuck onto both of their faces, and they turned back towards the enemy. The beast had gotten itself off the ground and was now standing. Malice was swimming in the depths of its eyes, akin to the Vulcan she had fought now over a month ago. This only strengthened Lucy's resolve and she stepped forward.

Lupus idled up to her side and leant down, gesturing for her to hop on his back. Lucy smiled and swung her leg over, similar to mounting a horse. She petted his fur affectionately a few times before spinning to face Loke. Lupus turned his head as well, his deep voice reverberating from his chest.

"You coming, lion boy?" He teased, his eyes glinting with amusement. Lucy stifled a chuckle behind her hand, unable to hold it back. Loke only rolled his eyes, muttering something about 'how humiliating this is' before he unceremoniously climbed on as well.

Lupus ascended back to his full height, careful of his new passengers. The beast began to charge towards them, its footsteps quaking the earth beneath them. All of them readied themselves for the oncoming attack in their respective ways. That was all the invitation they needed.

"Let's go!"

* * *

><p>The light tapping of Wendy's fingernails against the wood of the table disrupted Carla from her thoughts. The small blue-haired girl in front of her had been in this state ever since they had arrived at the guild that morning, staring off into space and continuing that <em>ever so irritating<em> tapping.

"Will you stop it, child?" Carla hissed, finally cracking under the immense irritation the tapping had caused her.

"Hmm? Oh sorry, Carla… I'm just worried," Wendy mumbled, still lost in her own world as she continued to stare ahead of her.

Carla sighed, but sympathized with her. In all honestly, they were all worried about Lucy taking on a job so soon from recovery.

"We all are child, but that doesn't mean you need to continue that tapping," She explained, placing her small paw over Wendy's hand.

"But what if Lucy gets hurt Carla?! It's only been a week since she woke up!" Wendy stood up and exclaimed, worried lines etched into her forehead.

"I must admit, I am worried too," A voice sounded from beside the two of them. Erza had made her way over to their table, obviously overhearing their conversation. "Maybe it's too early for her to be back in action," She mused, lost in thought.

"I tried to tell her," Wendy sniffled before continuing. "But Porlyusica said that her injuries had healed, and Master let her go…"

By this point, other members of the guild had begun to listen in to the conversation. To be completely honest, all of them were a little worried about Lucy going on a job so soon after waking up. The image of her battered and bleeding had scarred them very deeply, and none of them wanted to ever witness something so horrific ever again.

"I think you're all forgetting something important," Mira's voice cut through the silence. Many of them turned to face her. She was manning the bar as usual, wiping a clean cloth along the bench. She set the cloth down and continued her explanation. "Aren't you forgetting who she went on the job with?" She asked, a small smile on her face.

Many of them smiled back at her, reassured at her few words.

"You all know that he would never let something happen to her. She's in safe hands!" She exclaimed happily, and returned her focus to cleaning the bar.

"She's right you know," Gray said, walking towards the small group situated at the table. "You've got nothing to worry about kiddo," He said, ruffling the small girl's hair. She giggled and a smile crept onto her face.

"Yeah... I'm worried over nothing!" She beamed, her fingers now still against the surface of the table.

"Let's just hope Natsu doesn't get them into more trouble than it's worth," Erza sighed, but not withholding the fond smile that had settled on her face.

* * *

><p>The familiar sound of her whip striking the beast filled her ears once more as she cracked it across its cheek.<p>

"Alright Lupus, I want you to let me down close to its left side. Can you do that?" She asked, clinging on to him as he sped around the beast.

"You got it Lucy," He answered, changing his direction to meet her instructions. "What are you planning to do?"

"I've got to fulfill a promise," She murmured. "But don't worry about that. In the mean time, do you think you two could go dish out some damage to its vital areas?"

"Of course Princess," Loke spoke up from behind her.

"You ready Lucy?" Lupus asked, quickly approaching her drop-off zone.

"Yeah, I'll meet back with you in a bit," She promised. And with that, she jumped off Lupus' back, skidding across the ground as she landed. She watched on as Lupus continued with Loke, jumping atop of rubble to meet it eye-to-eye.

"Alright you two, I promised we'd go on a job together so here we are. I need your help!" Lucy spoke, holding two golden keys in her hand. "Aries, Virgo!"

Two bright golden lights appeared either side of her, revealing her two pink-haired zodiac spirits.

"Miss Lucy!"

"Princess!"

Lucy smiled at the two Spirits in front of her. Aries was beaming, ecstatic that Lucy had kept her promise to them. Virgo also appeared happier than usual, though her usual masochistic glint was still present in her eyes.

"Okay you two, so here's the plan…"

* * *

><p>"Lion Brilliance!" Loke shouted.<p>

A massive burst of golden light suddenly engulfed the surrounding area. The beast cried out with its eyes clamped shut, blinded by the bright light.

"Now Lupus!" Loke yelled, signalling the wolf's attack.

Lupus let out a growl and leapt forwards towards the beast. His teeth sank down into the already weak spot on its neck, where he had attacked before. Unfortunately, this time it was much faster in shaking Lupus off, swatting at him like a fly and sending him crashing back into the ground. He groaned in pain, shaking slightly as he pushed himself off the ground.

"Are you alright?" Loke asked, offering a hand out to Lupus, who had reverted to his human form after taking the hit.

"Yeah, thanks" Lupus took his hand and hoisted himself up, now standing beside Loke. "What do we do now? Nothing seems to be working on this guy."

"Well maybe we should…"

Loke trailed off as he caught sight of two bright golden lights manifesting beside Lucy. Lupus had also turned his attention to the sight, watching as Aries and Virgo appeared next to his master. Realization dawned on him, and he whipped his head around back to Loke.

"She can keep four gates open at once?" He asked, his eyes wide with shock.

Loke smirked proudly at this statement. "Of course she can. Lucy's one of the strongest people I've ever met!"

"Amazing…" Lupus stared with wide eyes as she began to huddle with her two Spirits, clearly talking about their course of action.

* * *

><p>"You ready?" Lucy asked, a hand on each of their shoulders. Aries and Virgo exchanged smiles, and turned back to face their Master.<p>

"I'll do my best Lucy!"

"Of course, Princess!"

Lucy smiled fondly at her two pink-haired Spirits. She had never fought with both of them at the same time before, but she was sure that they would do a great job and execute the plan perfectly.

"Let's do this!" She shouted confidently, her hands carefully wrapping around the handle of her whip.

"Right!" The two Spirits shouted back, unwavering determination on their faces. A small golden light glowed in Virgo's hand, dissipating to reveal her own _Fleuve d'étioles_. Aries took off, running towards the beast with her hands glowing a faint pink.

She skidded to a stop a few metres behind the beast's leg. Her hands now shone a vibrant pink as she yelled out one of her signature moves.

"Wool Bomb!"

A thick flurry of pink wool burst forth from Aries' hands, wrapping around the feet and legs of the beast. She continued to conjure the wool until both of its feet were fully submerged, with strands snaking around its ankles and calves. The beast stopped fighting with Loke and Lupus and looked down at its feet, confused at the warm soft sensation it was feeling.

"Great job Aries! Now it's our turn Virgo!" Lucy exclaimed, cracking her whip once to return it to her _Fleuve d'étioles_.

Virgo mimicked her action. "Ready when you are, Princess."

Lucy needed no further prompting and took off, Virgo following closely behind her. She continued to run towards the right side of the beast, Virgo having already stopped after reaching its left side. She veered around a sharp corner before coming to a halt.

"Alright Virgo, now!" She shouted.

The two girls both reached their arms back and flung them forward, the whip stretching out as far as it could. They watched as the two whips wrapped around their intended targets; the arms of the beast. Once they were sure the arms were firmly restrained, they pulled on the handles of their whips with all their might.

The beast stumbled a bit before realising it couldn't move its feet, thanks to the pink wool that had them entangled. Though despite the tugging at its arms it still managed to stay upright, only wobbling slightly back and forwards.

"Princess it's not enough!" Virgo yelled, frown lines evident on her face as she continued to pull on her whip.

Lucy had no idea what to do. This was her only plan, and it wasn't working. Just as she was about to call back, however, she felt a pair of arms around wrap securely around her waist. She turned her head back to see Loke, and felt him pull her back with him.

"Come on Princess, I know we can do this!" He exclaimed. She looked over to Virgo, only to see Lupus in the same position with her.

"Right!" Lucy cried, and began to pull with all her might. She watched as the beast began to stumble again. Though, with the added force it started to fall, unable to balance itself.

"It's working! Just a little more…" Loke strained, continuing to pull Lucy back.

"Come…on…!" Lucy shouted, pulling as hard as she could.

That seemed to be the final straw, tipping the balance and finally sending the beast tumbling over. Both pairs quickly moved out of the way and watched it come crashing down, sending tremors through the ground. Lupus and Virgo walked forward to inspect the beast and make sure it was knocked out before making their way over to Lucy, Loke and Aries.

"We did it!" Lucy cheered, pumping her fist in the air. "You were all so great, thanks everyone!"

They all smiled, happy to have helped Lucy on her mission.

"We couldn't have done it without you, Princess!" Loke exclaimed, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

"We did it together," She beamed.

Their cheers were interrupted, however, when they heard a low rumbling coming from the beast that they had supposedly taken down.

"Um, Miss Lucy…" Aries watched as its eyes flew open, filled with hatred. "…I don't think we've defeated it just yet."

* * *

><p>"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu roared, hitting the beast in the face with his signature move. It let out a final cry before falling on its side, defeated. Natsu skidded across the ground, halting to take a breath. He scanned over the area around him. Three beasts, including the one he had just beaten, lay unconscious sprawled on the ground.<p>

"Finally…" Natsu muttered, his legs buckling beneath him. Though he had defeated all three of the beasts, it hadn't been easy – not that he liked to admit it. They were a tricky bunch, making it difficult for Natsu to finish the job as quickly as he would have liked.

'_I wonder how Lucy's doing…'_ He thought to himself as he stood up, dusting himself off. He wasn't worried about her; he knew her Spirits wouldn't let any harm come to her, and he knew that she wouldn't be silly and try to do it on her own.

Nevertheless he sniffed the air, picking up her scent along with a few others. He followed the scent, trudging his way back to his partner.

The beast was now standing back at full height despite its injuries, glaring at the small group with its intentions clear in its eyes.

* * *

><p>"So stubborn…" Lucy muttered under her breath, before turning to face her comrades. "Alright, this calls for the big guns."<p>

"Are you sure you're up for that?" Loke asked tentatively.

Lucy smiled at him. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Aries, Virgo, how about you go back for now?" She asked, turning to her two female Spirits. Both of them smiled at her.

"As you wish, Princess. Good luck," Virgo bowed, and disappeared back to her own world.

"Please be careful!" Aries waved, and followed Virgo.

Lucy smiled as her Spirits returned home, feeling less of a strain on her magic energy. She had conjured enough for this spell, and she was ready to finally deal with the annoying beast.

"Gemini, I need your help!" Lucy called, holding a golden key out in front of her. Sure enough, her two tiny blue Spirits appeared hovering around her head. They both gave her an affectionate nuzzle before floating back out in front of her, awaiting their instructions.

"Okay you two we're doing the big one!" She exclaimed, a grin on her face.

"The big one?" Gemi questioned, its head cocked in confusion.

"Are you sure we're ready for that Lucy?" Mini finished.

"I know we can do it!" Lucy reassured. "You ready?"

"You bet!" They exclaimed, and became shrouded in golden light. Left in its wake was a clone of Lucy, only wearing different clothes. Gemini walked back over to Lucy and rested a hand on her shoulder with a cheeky smile.

Lucy shifted her head slightly to look at her two other Spirits. "Loke, Lupus you can return now. I'll call you back out once this is done."

"Sure thing, Princess." Loke saluted, and left to return home. Lupus followed suit, waving slightly as he left.

"Alright Gemini let's do this!" Lucy exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air.

"Piri!"

* * *

><p>Loke and Lupus continued to observe on through their gates, watching as Lucy and Gemini grabbed each other's hands and closed their eyes. Soft voices began to chant a spell.<p>

"_Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens…_

_All the stars, far and wide…"_

Lupus felt his eyes widen and jaw slacken as he immediately recognized the words coming from her mouth.

"Shouldn't we be stopping her?" He asked desperately, looking around to see her other Spirits completely calm as they watched her.

"_Show me thy appearance…_

_With such shine,"_

"No… She can do it," Loke breathed, as he watched the golden magic circle appear beneath their feet. "She's got Gemini this time, and she has more than enough magic energy. She can do it," He repeated.

Lupus said nothing, only turning his head back to keep watching. The beast looked downright confused as the surrounding area began to darken.

"_Oh Tetrabiblos…_

_I am the ruler of the stars…"_

The magic pressure in the air continued to increase, forcing the beast down onto its knees. Stars and planets began to appear, sparkling against the bright colours that were painted through the air.

"_Aspect become complete…_

_Open thy savage gate,"_

Lucy and Gemini were now back to back, their hands still linked together. Orbs containing each of the 88 constellations began to materialize, drawing in close to the pair.

Lupus watched in awe. She was performing the spell with such precision and grace, which was lacking when he had seen it last. He could feel her emotions loud and clear. Rather than the desperation he had felt the last time, strong determination emanated from her. All of her Spirits could feel it as they watched on proudly.

"_Oh 88 Stars of the Heaven…_

_Shine!"_

Lucy and Gemini's eyes flew open, her iris' glowing a faint gold. Together they raised their arms until they were aimed towards the sky. As their heads tilted back, the orbs began to circle around the pair. They continued to pick up speed until they were a blur, ready to be fired.

With their voices loud and full of vigor, they executed the spell.

"_**URANO METRIA!"**_

The beast cried out as the spheres shot towards it at lightening speed. Lucy could feel her magic energy leaving her body, but she knew that this time she would be okay. Orb after orb crashed into the beast, slamming it down into the ground with unbelievable force.

The golden circle under their feet began to fade as the starry sky vanished. The pressure in the air was lifted, and Lucy and Gemini slumped to the ground, leaning against each other for support.

"We did it!" Gemini cried, hovering back in their original form. "Are you alright Lucy?"

"Yeah I'm fine!" She said smiling. "You were great, thanks for the help!"

"You're welcome Lucy! See you next time!" They waved their stubby arms, and disappeared back to the Celestial world.

Lucy pushed herself to kneel, and then shakily stood up. She hadn't drained all of her magic energy just yet, but the toll that the spell took seized a large amount of it. She stood with her hands on her knees, leaning forward as she caught her breath.

"Are you sure you're okay Lucy?"

Lucy turned her head to the source of the voice. Lupus and Loke had returned, the former's head cocked waiting for an answer to his question.

She waved her hand a little. "I'm fine Lupus, just took a bit out of me that's all."

He looked at her, concern still on his face as he took in her answer. "If you say so,"

Lucy didn't answer, her attention now on Loke. He was crouched in a defensive stance, his fists glowing the faintest of gold. His face had contorted into a scowl, and he seemed to be very on edge.

"Loke? Whats wro-"

"Shhh!" He whispered, cutting her off. Lucy and Lupus were confused, looking at the surrounding area wondering what had gotten him so worked up. She was just about to ask Lupus if he knew, only to realize that he had now taken a similar position. Her heart began to beat faster and faster, and her breath quickened.

All of a sudden, she heard it too. A low rumbling was coming from the distance. It was so faint, you would only be able to pick it up if you were seeking to hear it. It felt like it was coming closer, as Loke and Lupus edged closer to her.

"Lucy…" Loke began, murmuring under his voice. "When I tell you to run, you run. Got it?"

Lucy's eyes widened, and her heart sped up even more. "Loke you're scaring me, what's going on? Why ar-"

"Just listen to me Lucy," He cut her off. "Please do as I sa-"

"LOOK OUT!"

The following moments seemed to play in slow motion for Lucy.

She whipped her head around, only to feel an incredible force connect with her side as Lupus all but tackled her to the ground. The wind was knocked out of her lungs, but her eyes still remained wide and focused on the boy on top of her. He sat up and thrashed his head around looking for the source of danger. A blur of brown appeared what seemed out of nowhere in front of them.

She watched as his eyes widened, unable to react fast enough. She yelled to him, but it was too late. It swung its large hand down wickedly fast, smacking Lupus off of her and sent him flying towards a crumbled wall of what was left of a building.

The sound he made as he hit the wall was sickening, as he hit the ground unmoving.

"Oh Mavis…" Lucy whispered, her hands covering her mouth in shock. She looked up at what had caused the trouble.

It was from the same clan of beasts all right, but something was different about this particular one. Instead of the dark chocolate-coloured fur that the other ones had, its fur was more of a light mousy brown. It was smaller than the other ones, though it still looked like a force to be reckoned with. A large scar jutted down its face. As it had just exhibited, it was incredibly fast and seemed to have a knack for battling.

It brought its hand up, ready to attack once again. Lucy closed her eyes, knowing that she couldn't get away from it in time. The hit never came, however, and she opened her eyes after hearing its cry. Loke had attacked it, and they were now engaged in a one on one battle of their own.

"Go to him Lucy!" Loke yelled as he punched it in the face. "I'll keep it occupied!"

Lucy needed no further prompting, and she immediately scrambled to her feet. She ran over to her Spirit as quickly as she could, kneeling down and taking his head in her lap. She gently brushed back his hair and scanned over him for any serious injuries.

"Hey Lucy," He mumbled, one eye cracked open.

"You idiot," She muttered. "Why would you do something so reckless?"

He chuckled and then coughed a bit. "Like you're one to talk," He rasped. "I was only returning the favour, remember?" A grin tugged at his lips despite the pain he was feeling.

Memories flooded into Lucy's head, images of her protecting him from the Vulcan on Mt Hakobe swirling around in her mind. She looked down at him and he laughed a bit, a weak smile still on his face.

"You're still an idiot," She muttered, but she couldn't hide the smile that was tugging at her lips. "Go back and heal up, okay?" She stroked a gentle hand through his hair.

"I can still fight," He countered, moving to try and sit up.

"I know but you need to rest. Please?"

He watched as she pouted, and sighed. "Fine. But be careful," He resigned.

She smiled thankfully, and pulled out his key. "You were great today Lupus. I'm looking forward to fighting with you again," She said as he became shrouded in golden light. He only grinned at her, faintly raising one hand in a sort of salute. She chuckled and returned his key to her pouch.

"Ughhh!"

She hurried back towards Loke, hearing his cry of pain. He motioned for her to hide, so she crouched down behind some rubble remaining unseen from the beast. Its movements were so different from the others they had fought. It moved with a sort of grace and was so fast, as apposed to the slow unsystematic movements of the others.

Lucy watched on helplessly as the beast drew its hand back, smashing into the building behind her.

"LUCY!"

She gasped as she watched it crumble, debris flying everywhere. Loke was desperately trying to reach her, but there was no way he could make it in time. A large chuck of the building was falling directly above her, and she knew she wouldn't be so lucky this time. Her knees buckled and her eyes closed, arms raised above her head in an attempt to shield her from what was about to come.

Heat unexpectedly began to fill the area.

'_What the…'_ Lucy thought, but as she opened her eyes she was whipped out of the way. A person was holding her in their arms, seemingly lit on fire. _'Well I found the heat source,'_ She thought, as steam rolled off them and all around her. Flames licked at her skin, but she didn't feel any pain.

"Natsu…" She whispered, a small smile on her face.

He came to a halt once they were safely out of the way, watching as the debris slammed into the ground where she just was. She felt herself being lowered to the ground and she stood, steadying herself against him.

Her eyes trailed up to his face, and they widened significantly once they saw it. His face had contorted into a bitter scowl, his elongated canines glinting dangerously. His eyes held a threatening spark, and were surrounded by small scales that had formed on his face. She recognised it immediately. He had gone into dragon force.

"Natsu…" She mutters again, but he doesn't hear her. His arm around her waist tightened as he stood protectively.

"Stay away from Lucy," He snarled, his fist aflame in anger.

Lucy's heart sped up again. "Natsu please,"

Again, he didn't respond. She was worried; whenever he went into dragon force he always seemed to hurt himself as well, and she didn't want that to happen again. The beast growled at the new challenger, and leapt forward almost immediately. Natsu responded just as quickly, both of his fists now aflame in preparation for attack.

"Lightning Flame Dragon Mode!" He shouted, as electricity began to spark along the surface of his skin. "Lightning Flame Dragon Brilliant Flame!"

His left hand became engulfed in lightning and his left hand similarly became engulfed in flames. He slammed his hands together, generating a large, destructive sparking blast around the beast. It cried out as it fell to the ground.

Lucy watched on in shock from where she was standing. She was in complete awe how quickly Natsu had taken down this one beast. It had taken her team a lot longer. Then again, she wasn't surprised. _'It is Natsu, after all…'_

"Hidden Fire Form!" He roared, his hands moving into a specific formation. "Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade!"

Natsu's entire body was ignited in flames as he charged towards the fallen beast. His fist flew upwards in a sharp uppercut, sending it into the air. Quickly changing his footing, Natsu switched to another move and similar to his sword horn, head-butted the beast. It fell to the ground once again, clearly defeated.

"Arrrrgh!" He continued to shout, blinded by anger. Punch after punch, he took out his frustrations on the beast.

Lucy felt a presence next to her and saw Loke, looking completely horrified at the sight before them. To be honest, she was quite scared too. She hadn't seen Natsu this angry in a long time.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and started to walk towards Natsu.

"Lucy what are you doing?! He could hurt you!" Loke yelled from behind her, unmoving from his spot.

"He won't hurt me," She called back, her voice not shaking despite the nerves she felt. She continued walking steadily until she reached his side and grabbed one of his lit hands. With a gentle voice, she began to speak to him.

"Natsu… It's okay now. It's over," She reassured. He whipped his head around wildly to look at her, still angry.

She let out a shaky breath and continued, squeezing his hand. "Come on, let's go home okay?"

He stayed silent, continuing to stare at her wildly for what seemed like an hour. Slowly, though, his breathing began to return to normal and his scowl left his face. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and from behind her she could hear Loke sighing of relief.

Lucy peered up at his face. His scales were beginning to fade away as he came out of dragon force. He slowly leaned forward until their foreheads were touching, and she felt his fingers intertwine with hers.

"I thought I wasn't going to make it for a moment there," He admitted.

Lucy smiled and gave his hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry Natsu, I'm not going anywhere…"

From behind the pair, Loke smiled at the scene before him. Lucy looked so happy. He was genuinely ecstatic for his master, especially after how upset she had been prior to 'the incident'. He could feel himself smiling as he watched Natsu encircle Lucy in a hug, whispering sweet nothings into her hair.

Knowing that his work here was done, he decided that now would be a good time to leave. A golden light surrounded his body and he felt himself being pulled back to his own world, thoughts of a certain pink-haired ram flooding into his mind.

* * *

><p>Leaning on each other for support, the pair almost cried out in joy as they spotted a shady clearing up ahead. They staggered over and sighed in relief as they slumped against the base of the tree.<p>

Natsu and Lucy were completely exhausted from the job they had now completed. Natsu had used up a lot of his magic energy when he went into dragon force, and Lucy had summoned 5 of her Spirits. They were both glad the job was finally over, though with true Fairy Tail tradition they had managed to destroy most of the town in the process.

"Thanks for saving me, Natsu…" Lucy lazily slurred as she leaned against his shoulder. Natsu didn't reply, only listening as her breathing evened out. He looked down at the girl beside him. In this moment, she looked exactly how she did all those months ago when he fell in love with her.

He could feel his lips tugging upwards as he used his free hand to brush the hair out of her face. Though he hadn't told her yet, he was really proud of her for what she did today. Standing up and calming him down in dragon force is a task that would not be taken by a lot of people, but she had willingly put herself in danger to ensure his safety.

He leaned his head down and kissed her forehead gently, before leaning against her and closing his eyes.

"I'll always be here to save you, Luce."

Fond smiles were present on the faces of all the Spirits in the vicinity. Most of Lucy's Spirits had gathered after the fight and were watching through their gates as their Master and her partner had fallen asleep against the tree. They could feel the love and warmth emanating from her spread throughout their bodies.

"Ugh, I'm going to be sick," Lupus said snidely, but if you looked close enough you could see the happy sparkle in his eyes.

"I'm so happy for Miss Lucy," Aries sniffled, crying tears of joy. Loke swung an arm around her shoulders as she continued to cry.

"Me too. She deserves it," He added.

"Lady Layla would be looking down on her proudly," Capricorn murmured with a small wistful smile on his face.

The group of Spirits decided to give their Master some privacy and began to leave to go off and return to what they were doing before. The only one who hadn't moved, however, was Aquarius.

"Well Blondie, you finally got yourself a boyfriend, huh?" She whispered, her ever-present smirk on her face.

Truthfully she was happy for the girl. She had known Lucy longer than any of them and she had been through ordeals that no young girl should ever have to go through. At only seventeen years old with no parents, Aquarius was glad that Lucy finally had so many other people to call her family.

She turned to leave them in peace, whispering as she vanished to return to her own boyfriend.

"Good for you, Lucy."

* * *

><p><em><strong>The End <strong>_

* * *

><p><em>Dedicated to my best friend, Abbey.<em>


End file.
